Kenya win two silver medals at Africa boxing event in DRC Championships

Moroccan Larti Hassan (red) defends sporadic jabs by Elizabeth Andiego of Kenya in the light heavyweight finals of Africa Boxing Championships in Kinshasa DRC on October 26,2024. [Courtesy]

Kenya won two silver medals on the penultimate day of the Africa Boxing Championships at the Stade des Martyrs Hall in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday night.

They came through Africa Zone Three heavyweight champion Elizabeth Andiego and sensational national super heavyweight champion Clinton Macharia.

Andiego, who fought in the light heavyweight lost on a split points decision against Larti Hassan of Morocco in a match the Kenyan boxer dominated in all the three rounds.

And Macharia was beaten by Bouhdid Younes of Morocco on split points decision.

As Macharia celebrated his achievement, Andiego cried foul of being robbed.

“This is a good start for me. Not everybody can make his debut in such an elite event and go this far. But I’m happy to be going home with a silver medal,” Macharia told Standard Sports.

On her part, Andiego said: “I gave my all and was sure to have won only to be disappointed. I don’t know what judges were looking for or how they scored the points.”.

She said it was a painful defeat but there was nothing she could do but life must go on.

“This is one of my painful defeats after working hard for it. I could not sleep well because of this agony in a loss that has not gone down well with me.

“I’m not pleased with this at all. I dominated the fight and so I’m wondering how I lost. I even watched the video tape several times and that’s unfair as I leave everything to God. It really hurts,” she said. [Ben Ahenda]

She said: “Something needs to be done on such biased officiating for judges to be held accountable for dubious officiating and favouritism.”

Meanwhile, deputy captain Boniface Mogunde was set to take on Nduwarugira Nesta of Burundi in the light middleweight finals last night.