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Kakande’s Olympic dream shattered, Uganda on the brink
There is no joy yet for Uganda.
What you need to know:
Uganda is yet to qualify a boxer to the Games
Uganda’s hopes of qualifying at least one boxer to the Paris 2024 Olympics have been further slimmed after Muzamir Kakande’s elimination on Day One of the second World Boxing Olympic Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kakande, a 2017 African welterweight champion, and a professional based in Germany, lost 5-0 to Cuba’s Jorge Cuellar in the 71kg preliminaries Friday afternoon, ending his dream of boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Uganda is yet to qualify a boxer to the Games and this being the last qualifier, there is all reason to worry for a country that has sent boxers to the Olympics since the 50s, except at London 2012.
Musa Shadir Bwogi will try his luck in the 80kg preliminaries against Nekruz SALIMOV of Tajisktan on Saturday. The Uganda-based professional was eliminated instantly at the African qualifying tournament in Dakar, Senegal last October.
Regarn Simbwa, the Australia-based professional who got a bye to the 2nd preliminaries in the 92kg category, will wait until next Thursday to test action.
Uganda has never qualified a boxer through the World Olympic Qualifying tournaments.
HOW THE JUDGES SCORED
KAKANDE VS CUELLAR
27:30
27:30
27:30
26:30
28:29
