Andiego storms semis as Kenyan trio kisses Olympic dream bye
Kenyan boxer Elizabeth Andiego trains at the National Exhibition Centre in West Midlands, Birmingham, on July 26, 2022, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
What you need to know:
- Heavyweight Peter Abuti squandered his lead in the first two rounds as he suffered points deduction to lose his quarter-final contest to Gabriel Albino from Mozambique in a painful split decision on Wednesday.
The 2022 Africa heavyweight silver medallist, Elizabeth Andiego of Kenya stormed the semi-finals as three of her compatriots were eliminated in the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics Africa boxing qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
Heavyweight Peter Abuti squandered his lead in the first two rounds as he suffered points deduction to lose his quarter-final contest to Gabriel Albino from Mozambique in a painful split decision on Wednesday.
Super heavyweight Fredrick Ramogi and light welterweight Teresiah Wanjiru all exited after referees stopped their quarter-final bouts.
Andiego, who made history as the first Kenyan woman to grace the Olympics during the 2012 Summer Games, comprehensively outclassed Ghanaian Ornella Sathoud in a unanimous points decision in their middleweight contest.
From the onset, Andiego took the battle to the Ghanaian with a good combination before the Kenyan unleashed a big right as Sathoud got a standing count in the second round.
Any hopes of Sathoud making a comeback in the third round were dimmed as the Kenyan retreated tactfully with powerful punches.
Andiego will meet 19-year-old Tunisian Molka Mabrouk in the semi-final on Thursday after the North African teenager chalked a unanimous decision against home boxer Seynabou Dieng Ndiaye.
Abuti started strongly against using his long reach to punish the dirty Albino and win the first round comprehensively. However, Abuti was drawn into Albino’s crafty play in the second round where he was deducted points.
Abuti went out of gas in the third round where Albino’s right left him wobbling but still regained his balance to finish well but lost in a split 3-2 decision.
Albino will now meet Algerian Mohammed Mouri, who edged out Ghanaian Jonathan Tetteh in a split decision.
Wanjiru had little to offer against Nigeria's Commonwealth Games lightweight bronze medallist Cynthia Ogunsemilore, as the referee stopped the first within a minute of the first round.
Solid combinations from Ogunsemilore saw Wanjiru receive her first count within 20 seconds before the Nigerian went for another assault for another count.
Wanjiru’s corner couldn’t wait for more punishment as they threw in the towel. Ogunsemilore triumphed to set up a semi-final battle against Zambia’s Felistars Nkandu.
The Zambian had stopped Islem Ferchichi from Tunisia to advance to the semis.
Ramogi, the 2019 Africa bronze medallist, received two eight standing counts before Mohammed Firisse from Morocco took him down in the first round as the referee stopped the bout.
Two more Kenyans, David Karanja (flyweight) and Friza Anyango (welterweight), were set to battle in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
