Kenya delivered a stellar performance at the Africa Boxing Championships, finishing third overall in the competition that concluded on Saturday, October 26, in Kinshasa, DR Congo.
Kenya’s impressive showing placed them just behind Morocco, which dominated the tournament with a haul of 10 gold, eight silver, and three bronze medals, and the host nation DR Congo, which claimed nine gold, five silver, and seven bronze medals. The Kenyan team is scheduled to arrive back home at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday at 3:30 PM.
A notable achievement in the tournament was Senegal’s first gold medal in 26 years, securing them a fourth-place finish with one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Cameroon followed closely in fifth with one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. Within the East African region, Kenya led the standings, with Burundi in 11th place after securing one silver medal, while Ethiopia and Tanzania took 14th and 15th with three and one bronze medals, respectively.
Kenya’s golden moment was delivered by Boniface Mogunde, who claimed the light-middleweight title in a thrilling match against Burundi’s Nestor Nduwarugira, winning on a split-points decision. This win marked Kenya’s first gold in seven years since Nick Okoth won the lightweight title in 2017 in Congo Brazzaville.
Kenya’s team captain, Elizabeth Andiego, showcased exceptional skill in the light-heavyweight final. Despite a strong performance, including dominating the first and third rounds, she narrowly missed out on the gold in a controversial split-points decision against Morocco’s Hasna Larti. Andiego, who has been a mainstay in Kenyan boxing since 2010, described the loss as one of the most painful moments of her career.
Clinton Macharia also secured a silver for Kenya in the super heavyweight division after a competitive bout with Morocco’s Younes Bouhdid.
Kenya’s medal tally was rounded out by bronze medals won by Amina Martha, Abednego Kyalo, Shaffi Bakari, Vincent Ochieng, and Robert Okaka, each of whom reached the semi-finals in their respective categories.
Returning home with a sense of pride and accomplishment, Kenya’s boxing team has made a notable impact at the Africa Boxing Championships, once again asserting the nation’s prowess in the ring.
