Andiego storms Africa Olympic Qualifiers finals in Senegal
Boxing
By
Ben Ahenda
| Sep 14, 2023
Africa Zone Three heavyweight gold medallist Elizabeth Andiego has qualified for the finals of Africa Olympic Qualifiers after she defeated Tunisian Molka Mabrouk in a tensioned packed middleweight semifinal match at Dakar Arena in Senegal on Thursday.
Andiego who's the team captain of 'The Hit Squad' and the most experienced player in the team picked a unanimous points decision over Mabrouk.
The victory enhanced her chances of making it to the Paris Olympics in France next year.
The frequency of jabs by Andiego that landed on target was too much for her opponent to defend, a development that allowed the judges to give the Kenyan female boxer the bragging rights to win the match overwhelmingly.
Speaking before her semifinal match, Andiego said "We are here for serious business after a good training session in Havana, Cuba. Our coaches worked on us extensively. We came here for nothing but to pick our Olympic tickets,".
READ MORE
Unlike in 1964, Kenyans today have little hope for a brighter future
Why AFC must sing a new song as they seek to restore lost glory
Why nostalgia is a dangerous thing at AFC Leopards
Why Ingwe want to make 60 anniversary memorable
AFC Leopards 60: President Ruto urges Ingwe to adopt corporate model
AFC usher 60th anniversary celebrations in style
Man wants court to scrap mandatory retirement age of 60
How has Kenya changed in 60 years
British colonial plan to wipe out Kenyans that came a cropper
She will now face world champion Khadija Mardi of Morocco in the finals tomorrow.
It will be the second time the two boxers will be facing off this year after they met in the opening round at the World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, India in April, a match, which Mardi won.
By winning the middleweight title against the world champion, Andiego will book her third Olympic ticket having taken part in the 2012 London Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan.