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North Africa, Nigeria dominate Africa's Olympic boxing slots
In the end, Senegal was not a happy hunting ground for the Bombers. PHOTO/COURTSEY
What you need to know:
The North Africans secured five slots, two of them among men and three among women, with an enviable four gold medals thanks to Imane Khelif and Roumaysa Boualam in the women’s 66kg and 50kg categories, respectively.
After six days of intense action at the Africa Olympics Boxing Qualifier in Dakar, Senegal, only eight countries out of the 41 that participated, dominated the 18 slots at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Even under the very mean qualification standards where only the seven gold medalists among men and 11 finalists among women could qualify, Algeria once again showed its mastery in the continental game.
The North Africans secured five slots, two of them among men and three among women, with an enviable four gold medals thanks to Imane Khelif and Roumaysa Boualam in the women’s 66kg and 50kg categories, respectively.
DR Congo, Mozambique, Tunisia and Zambia got a slot apiece.
Nigeria, who missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was the surprise performer, securing three slots, the same won by Egypt and Morocco. Nigeria's revival will even feel more emphatic after denying powerhouse Algeria two gold medals.
Adam Olaore defeated Algeria’s Houmri Mohamed to clinch the men’s 92kg gold and Olympics slot just before Cynthia Ogunsemilore, who had already secured an Olympics slot by reaching the final, defeated Algeria’s favourite Hadjila Khelif to clinch the women’s 60kg gold.
Earlier on, Joshua Omole Dolapo, had clinched a ticket to Paris with a 3-2 win against Ethiopia's Yadesa Leta in the men’s 57kg final.
Stylish Patrick Chinyemba was the only boxer, who qualified from outside Northern and Western African. The Zambian did so after stopping Eladine Zidi in the third round.
Ghana, the only African team that got a medal from Tokyo 2020, lined up a full team of 13, but returned home empty-handed, with just one semifinal appearance.
Hosts Senegal came close to the coveted ticket but Algeria’s super-heavyweight Kadi Mourad broker their hearts with a 4:1 victory over Diarga Balde in the men’s +92kg category.
Yusuf Lucasi Changalawe, Tanzania's last man standing, lost to Egyptian Abdelrahman Salah 5-0 in the men’s 80kg gold medal match.
On the decisive day, Kenya's Hit Squad kept their Olympic hopes in middleweight Elizabeth Andiego until she lost her gold medal match to Morocco's Khadija Mardi 5:0. Mardi, a 2016 Rio Olympian, used her experience to hit and move until to secure a sweet victory, following a break that denied her the Tokyo 2020 Games but gave her a third child.
Mauritius’ three-time Olympian Louis Richarno Colin, who defeated Uganda's only semifinalist Joshua Tukamuhebwa 4:1, lost the final by the same score to Algeria's Jugurtha Bekka in the men’s 63.5kg.
Colin, like the Ugandans, will hope for better fortunes at the World Olympics Qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy in March and in Bangkok, Thailand in May.
Europe has already qualified 44 boxers. The continental qualifications to Paris 2024 continue at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China this weekend, then the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile and the Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands later this year.
COUNTRIES THAT QUALIFIED THROUGH DAKAR
Algeria: 5 slots
Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria: 3 slots
DR Congo, Mozambique, Tunisia, Zambia: 1 slot
MEDAL STANDINGS
Gold Silver Bronze
1. Algeria 4 2 3
2. Nigeria: 3-0-3
3. Morocco: 2-1-3
4. Egypt: 2-1-0
5. Tunisia: 1-1-1
6. Zambia: 1-0-1
7. DR Congo: 0-1-3
8. Mozambique: 0-1-1
8. Senegal: 0-1-1
10. Ethiopia: 0-1-0
10. Kenya: 0-1-0
10. Mauritius: 0-1-0
10. Tanzania 0-1-0
14. Cameroon: 0-0-2
15. Cape Verde: 0-0-1
15. Ghana: 0-0-1
15. Ivory Coast: 0-0-1
15. Lesotho: 0-0-1
15. Namibia: 0-0-1
15. Seychelles: 0-0-1
15. Sierra Leone: 0-0-1
15. South Africa: 0-0-1
15. Uganda: 0-0-1
HOW SLOTS WERE SHARED
MEN'S SLOTS
1-51 kg ,Zambia
57- kg , Nigeria
63.5kg, Algeria
71 kg ,Egypt
80 kg Egypt
92 kg , Nigeria
92+ kg Algeria
WOMEN SLOTS
50 kg Algeria, Morocco
54 kg Morocco , Egypt
57 kg Tunisia, Congo
60 kg Algeria ,Nigeria
66, kg Algeria , Mozambique
75 kg Morocco
