Friday (April 8) was not a bad day in the office for the Kenyan boxers in the penultimate day of Zone 3 tournament in Kinshasa.
The East Africans made up for a shaky start by winning two gold and two silver medals in the first session of the finals at the Studio Maman Angebi Hall.
Light-welter Teresiah Wanjiru (pictured far left with Elizabeth Akinyi and Liz Andiego) shed tears of joy when she won Kenya’s first gold medal by outpointing DRC’s Raissa Djofa with flyweight David Karanja putting up a gutsy show to squeeze a 3-2 points win over DRC’s Bakora Kalongo to give Kenya their second gold.
Kenya’s two silvers came via losers in the finals middleweight Elizabeth Akinyi and light-welter Victor Odhiambo who lost to Louis Colin of Mauritius, a three-time Olympian, a gold medallist in the 2011 African Games and bronze medal winner in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2015 Africa boxing championships.
Super-heavy Elly Ajowi, Kenya’s sole gold medallist in last year’s Zone 3, reluctantly settled for bronze after losing on points to DRC’s Umaga Bokala in the semis.
Kenya is expected to win more gold and silver medals in today’s (April 9) last session of the finals.
The six Kenyans in action are Christine Ongare, Stacy Ayoma, Lorna Kusa, Everlyn Akinyi, Shaffi Bakari and Samuel Njau.
