Kenyan boxers Ongare, Kusa knocked out of global event
Kenya's Christine Ongare reactis during her women's fly (48-51kg) preliminaries boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on July 25, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Four Kenyans are in action Wednesday night; flyweight Ann Wanjiru, featherweight Beatrice Akoth, middleweight Elizabeth Akinyi and promising light welterweight Teresia Wanjiru.
- Ann, Africa Zone III bronze medallist, will meet Tetiana Kob of Ukraine, while Teresia Waniiru, the Africa Zone III gold medallist, will be up against 2019 European Games silver medallist, Italian Assunta Canforal.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine "Petit" Ongare and Lorna Kusa lost their opening bouts as Kenyan boxers got off to a bad start at the Women’s World Boxing Championship in Istanbul, Turkey
Ongare faltered against 2018 World Championship silver medallist Hanna Okhota of Ukraine, losing 5-0 points in the minimum-weight contest on Tuesday night.
"I gave it my all and I enjoyed the bout even though I lost. I faced a worthy and experienced opponent. I know many Kenyans had their hopes in me, but everything happens for a reason," said Ongare, the Africa Zone III silver medallist.
That happened just after Kusa had little to offer against Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova, who subjected her to a flurry of blows, sending her to the canvas.
The referee was forced to step in and stop the light-middleweight bout in the first round after giving Kusa a standing count twice.
Ongare and Kusa were making their second appearance at the global championships after their debuts in 2012.
Four Kenyans are in action Wednesday night; flyweight Ann Wanjiru, featherweight Beatrice Akoth, middleweight Elizabeth Akinyi and promising light welterweight Teresia Wanjiru.
Ann, Africa Zone III bronze medallist, will meet Tetiana Kob of Ukraine, while Teresia Waniiru, the Africa Zone III gold medallist, will be up against 2019 European Games silver medallist, Italian Assunta Canforal.
Akoth will fight Jucielen Romeu from Brazil with Akinyi, a bronze medallist in the 2017 Africa Boxing Championships, taking on Karolina Makhno of Ukraine.
This is also Akinyi's second show at the world event, having taken part in the 2012 championship.
Olympian Elizabeth Andiego, who is also the Africa Zone III champion, was handed a passage to the quarter-finals of the light heavyweight bout planned for Monday next week.
She will slug it out with either home boxer Elif Guneri, or South Africa's Muriel Mkutela Sithole, who are due to meet in the first round.
Another Africa Zone III champion, Everlyne Akinyi, was also given a bye to the second round for her welterweight contest planned for Sunday.
Akinyi will meet either Ahbib Oumayma from Morocco, or Games Moreira from Cape Verde.
Oumayma and Moreira will clash on Thursday. The winner in the second round will proceed to the quarter-finals.
Africa Zone III bronze medallist, Amina Martha will face Wiktoria Beata from Poland in the second round of their bantamweight contest on Thursday.
