Share
By: Peter Akinbo
Team Nigeria boxing coach, Tony Konyegwachie, has set his sights on the Paris Olympics podium after his boxers’ impressive feat at the 13th African Games in Ghana, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Out of 11 boxers who went to the Games under Konyegewachie, 10 won medals with Nigeria claiming a total of eight gold and two silver medals to finish overall winners in boxing for the third time after winning in 1973 in Lagos and 2003 in Abuja.
The proud coach told PUNCH Sports Extra that the performance of his boxers in Accra has inspired belief in him ahead of the Olympics Games in France.
“With this performance, I believe we are going to bring back gold medals from the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris 2024,” he said.
Konyegwachie stated that the performance of his boxing team was as a result of their hard work and dedication.
“I’m very proud of the boxers’ performance and our achievement in the African Games, we prepared well and thoroughly for it,” the 53-year-old said.
“Nigeria has always been winning gold and silver medals since the beginning of the African Games, so, I worked to set a new record by winning overall in boxing with a record of gold and silver medals.”
Team Nigeria did end up matching and setting a record at the event. By winning eight gold medals, Nigeria equalled Kenya’s feat of scooping the same number of gold medals at the 1987 African Games in Nairobi. Nigeria also set a new record of 10 boxers qualifying for the finals of the African Games boxing tournament.
Competing in the 57kg category, Joy Ojo secured the country’s first boxing gold at the African Games following a walkover over her Algerian opponent, Selmouni Chahira, while Dolapo Omole secured Nigeria’s second with a round one knockout victory over Mozambican Sigauque Armando Rugoberto.
UK-based Patricia Mbata claimed a points decision win over Marbrouk Molka of Tunisia for the third gold, and Adam Olaore delivered a stunning performance in the men’s 92kg category for Nigeria’s fourth gold a KO win over his Togolese opponent.
Cynthia Ogunsemilore then added Nigeria’s fifth gold defeating Egypt’s Rahma Mohamed 5-0, before Blessing Oraekwe, Jacinta Umunnakwe and Ifeanyi Onyekwere completed the gold haul for the boxers by winning their respective fights in the 70kg, 81kg and 92+kg categories respectively.
Zainab Adeshina and Shukura Kareem both settled for silver after losing to their Algerian and Moroccan opponents respectively.
