Nigeria wins in Dakar
Team Nigeria on Friday won three gold medals on the last day of the Paris 2024 Olympics Africa Boxing qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
Team Nigeria had nine boxers – six females and three males – and two coaches. The boxers were selected from more than 20 boxers after a two-week camping in Lagos.
On the final day of the qualifying bout, which went underway at 1.00 p.m. Nigerian time, three Nigerian boxers made it to final although a female boxer, Cynthia Ogunsemilore, in the 60kg category had already made the cut to the 2024 Olympics.
However, Cynthia Ogunsemilore Temitayo out punched Khelif Hadjila from Algeria in the Women’s 60kg to emerge a gold medalist. In the other fight, Nigeria’s Omole Dolapo defeated Leta Fikremariyam Yadesa from Ethiopia in the Men’s 57kg to also win a gold medal.
In the Men’s 92kg, Olaore Olaoitan Adams outboxed Houmri Mohamed from Algeria to win the third gold medal for Nigeria. The Secretary of Nigeria Boxing Federation (IBF) commended the team for a job well done.
Nigerian boxers have now atoned for their miss at the last Japan 2020 Olympics where Nigeria was not represented.
