11 COUNTRIES WIN MEDALS
▫️ Eight women boxers in the finals without throwing a punch
Even before stepping into the ring, 11 countries have already won medals with eight women boxers receiving byes to the finals and for them it’s either gold or silver.
That’s the outcome of the African Games boxing tournament draws conducted last night in Accra, Ghana. Boxing action starts tomorrow (March 15).
The 11 countries are assured of medals after their boxers got byes to the semi-finals and finals with women reaping more because of few entries in some of their weight classes .
Countries already assured of medals even before the tournament starts on March 15 are Tunisia, Zambia, Algeria, Ghana, Egypt, DR Congo, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Morocco and Tanzania.
Four women’s finals are determined already because their respective weight divisions attracted only two boxers.
Algeria’s world bronze medallist in 2022 and gold medallist in the Maputo Africa Championships Ichrak Chaib battles DR Congo’s Mbalayi Merveille, Mozambican welterweight Isabel Mulungo meets Ethiopia’s Betel Wolde Dedi, Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jacinta Umunnakwe has a date with DR Congo’s Marie Mwika and Morocco’s world heavyweight champion and two-time Africa gold medallist Khadija Mardi (pictured) trades leather with DR Congo’s Tekasala Malewu.
Enter the lucky semi-finalists, some favoured by the draw and others are beneficiaries of few entries.
Men’s cruiserweights all got byes to the semis. DR Congo’s Nlandu Mbeli meets Ghana’s Abubakar Kamoko while Tanzania’s Musa Maregesi trades leather with Algeria’s Oussama Kanouni.
Women’s minimumweights have also benefited from few entries with all four in the semis. Tunisia’s Africa bronze medallist Wafa Hafsi battles 2022 Africa champion Zambia’s Margret Tembo with two-time Africa silver medallist Algeria’s Fatiha Mansouri meeting Ghana’s Janet Acquah.
Egypt’s lightweight Rahma Mohamed got a bye to the semis; so did two-time Africa champion Alcinda Dos Santos who will fight the winner of the light-middleweight quarter-finals between DR Congo’s Africa bronze medallist Brigitte Mbabi and Algeria’s silver medallist in the 2022 Africa Championships Djouher Benan. The other semi-final pits Tunisia’s Eya Ezina vs Nigeria’s Blessing Oraekwe.
There’s fire in women’s middleweight semi-final bout between Mozambican two-time Africa champion Rady Gramane and Nigeria’s Africa silver medallist Patricia Mbata in a rematch. Gramane defeated Mbata in the Africa Championships finals last year in Yaounde but some felt the Nigerian had done enough spadework to carry the day. She has another chance to prove herself in this mouth-watering duel. The winner takes on Tunisia’s Molka Mabrouk who received a bye to the finals.
This story will be incomplete without congratulating our Muslim brothers and sisters for honouring the African Games boxing tournament while fasting. That’s commitment at its best.
Ramadhan Kareem. Haluahalua
Source: AFBC Communications
