Seven boxers from the East African Region Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Ethiopia are through to the semi-finals without breaking a sweat.
The seven boxers received byes to qualify for the semis of Africa Elite Men and Women Championships in Kinshasa after the draws conducted on Friday, October 18.
Kenya’s lucky four boxers in the last four are bantamweight Amina Martha (pictured in a past fight) light-heavyweight Elizabeth Andiego, flyweight Abednego Kyalo and super-heavyweight Clinton Macharia.
Burundi’s boxer in the semis is their star light-middleweight Nestor Nduwarugira, Tanzania’s light-welterweight Najma Mohammed and Ethiopia’s bantamweight Roman Assefa.
Amina Martha meets the winner of the quarter-final bout between Tanzania’s Zulfa Macho and DR Congo’s Merveille Bisambu, Roman Assefa will battle it out with either defending champion Widad Bertal of Morocco or Madagascar’s Harilala Ranaivo.
Andiego, silver and bronze medallist in the Africa Championships, will take on DR Congo’s silver medallist in Yaounde Marie-Joelle Mwika with the winner meeting Morocco’s lucky Hasna Larti who has qualified for the final in her international debut courtesy of a bye.
Tanzania’s Najma Mohammed fights Morocco’s Douvaa Zaki in the semis.
Burundi’s Nestor Nduwarugira awaits the winner of the quarter-final clash between Senegal’s Allassane Ba and Congo’s Ngamissengue Makavissa.
Flyweight Abednego Kyalo will take on Cameroon’s bronze medallist in Yaounde Mouhaman Issouhou or Mandela Cup champion Valerie Fabrice of Mauritius.
Kenya’s Clinton Macharia, who’s making his international debut, has got off to positive start assured of a bronze medal already when he fights Angola’s Luvo Jordilson in the last four.
Five female boxers have reaped big from the draw qualifying to the finals because their respective weight categories have three boxers each.
This means they’ll be cheering their compatriots until next Friday and Saturday when step into the ring to fight for gold or silver in the finals.
They are DR Congo’s featherweight Ruth Yanfu, DR Congo’s Mandela Cup welterweight champion Brigitte Mbabi, Senegal’s light-middleweight Cheikh Awa Mbaye, middleweight Noura Mesmaoui of Morocco and light-heavyweight Hasna Larti of Morocco.
✍🏼 AFBC Communications
🇨🇩 African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships, Kinshasa, DR Congo, October 19-26, 2024
