Boxing: Akinyi beats Ghana’s Asuman in qualifiers
Boxing
By
Ben Ahenda
| Feb 26, 2020
National female welterweight champion Elizabeth Akinyi defeated Ghana’s Faruza Asuman on unanimous points’ decision to become the first Kenyan boxer to cruise into the semi-finals of the African Olympic qualifiers in Senegal on Monday night.
Akinyi won the hearts of the five judges who each gave her a score of 29-28 for a total of 145-140 to reach the last four and be assured of at least a bronze medal.
As a result, Akinyi earned a ticket to face Morocco’s Bel Ahbib Oumayma who had beaten Cameroon's Keuye Bernadette or Malewa Tekasala Jorbelle of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the quarter-finals.
Immediately after Akinyi’s victory, 2015 Africa Boxing Championships gold medalist Nick Okoth also won his match to book his ticket to the quarter-finals of the featherweight (52-57kg) bout.
Okoth defeated Mohammed Fahim Komsam of Egypt in a 4-1 splits points’ decision to get close to his previous dream of participating in the Olympics after he narrowly missed the 2016 Rio Olympics in the same tournament.
READ MORE
Kenya-UK trade reaches all time high of Sh360b
Nairobi picked to host world's largest food trade platform
Inside Molo MP Kuria Kimani's Sh10.5m Mercedes-Benz dispute
Court allows Amario's alleged son to appeal bid for share of Sh760m estate
Every baby counts: Investing in Kenya's newborns' health
Eight years later, Kendagor's Sh360m estate finally divided
Kenya sells urban climate change projects despite drawbacks
Kihika's widows suffer setback in Sh600 million estate dispute case
Sixty South Koreans to return home Saturday after Cambodia detention
Okoth will face Petro Menuel Gomez of Angola who beat Mordjane Oussama of Algeria in the pre-quarterfinals after the Algerian received a bye in his opening match.
The last Kenyan pugilist to bow out of the tournament was Boniface Mogunde who was beaten by Albert Mengue Ayissi of Cameroon in a first round stoppage in a welterweight bout.
Middleweight champion Elizabeth Andiego lost in the quarter-finals to Gramana Radi Adosinda of Mozambique to bow out of the tournament to join compatriots in flyweight Hassan Shaffi Bakari, lightweight Joseph Shigali, featherweight Beatrice Akoth, welterweight Boniface Mogunde, middleweight Rayton Okwiri and light heavyweight Humphrey Ochieng who also lost.