Five Nigerian boxers have qualified for the finals of the African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, keeping the country’s hopes of winning multiple gold medals alive.
The Nigerian finalists are Ridwan Raheem, Ajishola Khadijat, Precious Anine, Blessing Orakwe and Patricia Mbata.
Their progress marks a turnaround for Nigeria’s 10-member team, which lost five bouts during the early stages of the competition.
Raheem helped revive the team’s campaign on Monday when he defeated Algeria’s Ismail Bekhsis in the men’s 60–65kg category.
Before the bout, Raheem had expressed his determination to win convincingly, saying he wanted to leave no room for “any kind of controversial decision”.
On Tuesday, Khadijat defeated Kenya’s Amina Martha by a unanimous 5–0 decision in the women’s 51–54kg category.
Anine followed with another 5–0 victory over Egypt’s Ayyad Yomna in the women’s 60–65kg semi-final, while Orakwe stopped Uganda’s Aiwine Diana in the first round of their 75–80kg contest.
Mbata had already secured her place in the final stage.
The results have strengthened Nigeria’s prospects after a difficult start to the championships, during which Aishat Gbadamosi, Abdulramon Abdulwahab, Emmanuel Chuwuka and Kenneth Anigboro lost their respective bouts against opponents from Algeria, Egypt, Kenya and Uganda.
Some decisions in the early rounds attracted complaints from spectators and questions about officiating.
Nigeria Boxing Federation board member and head of delegation, Captain Rasulun Kashim, had earlier expressed confidence in the team’s talent and determination to compete against the continent’s leading boxers.
Attention now turns to the final bouts, where the Nigerian contingent will seek to convert its five appearances into gold medals.
The performances also provide an opportunity for the boxers to strengthen their standing in African boxing as Nigeria continues to pursue success in international competitions.