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Simbwa two wins from Olympic slot
There is no joy yet for Uganda.
What you need to know:
Victory against the American will require Simbwa one more win to clinch that coveted ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Heavyweight boxer Regarn Simbwa has kept Uganda's Olympic hopes alive by winning his Round of 32 bout at the second World Olympic Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Australia-based Simbwa defeated Hungarian Koppany Feher by unanimous decision to advance to the Round of 16 Friday, where he will meet the USA's Jamar Talley who defeated Haiti's Leclerc Nogaus.
Victory against the American will require Simbwa one more win to clinch that coveted ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
But it will be such a task for Simbwa because Talley may be just 24 but has an enviable ring experience of 47 amateur bouts, with 34 wins since 2016. That obviously dwarfs Simbwa's seven wins and four losses since 2018.
Simbwa's win is Uganda's first in Bangkok after 2017 African welterweight champion Muzamir Kakande and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Musa Shadir Bwogi lost instantly last week.
Except Montreal 1976, when Africa boycotted and London 2012 , at the peak of administrative wrangles, Uganda has sent boxers to the Olympics since the 50s.
But after the continental qualifier in Dakar, Senegal last year and the first World Qualifier in Busto, Arsizio, Italy in March, Uganda is yet to qualify a single boxer to Paris 2024.
Meanwhile, Simbwa is the only East African boxer remaining in Bangkok, with the entire region yet to qualify a single boxer to Paris 2024.
