🇬🇭 African Games Boxing Tournament in Accra, Ghana, March 15-22
CHASING THAT ELUSIVE GOLD
_▫️It’s now 17 years since East African boxers won gold in the African Games
▫️ _Seven East African boxers land in the semi-finals as rush for gold intensifies
East Africa’s chase for that elusive boxing gold medal in the African Games has intensified with seven boxers landing in the semi-finals.
Uganda, under the leadership of their flamboyant President Moses Muhangi, leads with three boxers followed by Kenya and Tanzania two each.
Minimumweight, 19-year-old Tumusiime Innocent was the first Ugandan in the semi-finals. He has now been joined by featherweight Kassim Murungi, 19, (pictured) and light-middleweight Semuddu Mzamir, 22. Kenya’s two semi finalists are female bantamweight Amina Martha and middleweight Edwin Okong’o with Tanzania having lightweight Ezra Paul and cruiserweight Musa Maregesi.
The Tanzanians led the way when Maregesi made it to the medal bracket without throwing a punch after receiving a bye. He has been joined by lightweight Ezra Paul who defeated DR Congo’s Mujinga Frazier 5-0, a splendid show from a boxer representing the national team for the first time. There’s a bight possibility of Tanzania placing the third semi finalist through Commonwealth Games and Africa bronze medallist Yusuf Changalawe if he overcomes Equatorial Guinea’s Maxinillano Bibano in the quarters.
“Our good performance so far is a present to our beloved President Samia Suluhu and the people of Tanzania for their unwavering support,” said the President of the Boxing Federation of Tanzania Lukelo Willilo who has big plans to revamp boxing in Tanzania as well empowering coaches, referees and judges.
It’s now 17 years since the East African Region won gold in the African Games. Kenya’s light-flyweight Suleiman Bilali is the last boxer from East Africa to win gold at the 2007 African Games in Algiers. The Kenyans finished fourth overall with one gold and two bronze medals from Dan Shisia and Joshua Ndere.
A lot of work still needs to be done especially at the grassroots if the three East African countries are keen on rekindling their dwindling fortunes. They should also scrutinise their pool of coaches, and if possible kick out the joyriders with rudimentary knowledge on boxing and bring on board knowledgeable coaches including foreign coaches to assist them, if need be.
”My three boxers in the semi-finals are products of Champions League,” boasted Muhangi in a phone chat with him, saying that he has adopted a different approach of empowering the boxers. He’s not just aiming at winning medals in major international tournaments but also empowering the boxers financially to enable them invest on projects to support them after stepping out of the ring.
“Boxers can’t eat medals and certificates,” says Muhangi in the several discussions I have had with him on how he intends to lift Uganda boxing, now on its knees at the international level.
Equally proud of Uganda’s performance is former international Hussein “Juba” Khalili whose two boxers at East Coast Boxing Club, Tumusiime Innocent and Kassim Murumgi, are in the semi-finals.
“I’m happy for them. My brother Hassan and I have done a lot to shape up the two boxers at our club East Coast,” says Khalili who brought Kenya gold at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia.
“Both boxers are very good southpaws. Murungi is like John “The Beast” Mugabi with power punches, and Tumusiime is a clever and stylish boxer just like my friend Pipino (Kenya’s former international Kamau Wanyoike).
For now it’s still early to tell whether the East Africans will get their act together in Accra or continue operating under the shadow of the North, Southern, West and Central African countries in the African Games and other international tournaments.
✍🏼 AFBC Communications