Our medal hopes now rest on you, Andiego

Boxer Elizabeth Andiego in the World Women Boxing Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. [File]

Africa Boxing Championships light heavyweight silver medallist Elizabeth Andiego could be Kenya's only medal if she wins her quarterfinal match at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, India on Wednesday.

Andiego will be facing Fariza Shotley of Kazakhstan after she had a bye in her (Andiego) pre-quarterfinal match.

It'll be a herculean task for the Kenyan captain to go past the Kazakhstani who is unknown to her.

During her residential training at Mathare Police Depot in Nairobi, Andiego had indicated she was ready to improve on her performance at the global championships as opposed to last year.

"It'll not be easy but I'm ready to do better than last year when I was beaten in the first round of the global showpiece in Turkey. I'm ready to improve on that," she said in an earlier interview.

As Andiego gets ready for the bout, it will be her first match since the two-week showpiece begun one week ago. The eight Kenyan boxers who took to the ring have all fallen by the wayside in their preliminary bouts.

As was last year in Istanbul, Turkey, the Kenyan captain cruised into the quarterfinals without throwing a jab but failed to make it to the medal bracket.

Also expected to cruise into the last eight is Commonwealth Games flyweight bronze medallist Christine Ongare, who is set to face Eriven Berut of Turkey in a pre-quarterfinal-match today.

Meanwhile, flyweight Veronica Mbithe lost to Lorena Valencia of Columbia.