Boxing News of Monday, 31 March 2008

Source: --

Four Ghanaian boxers pick Olympic tickets

Four Ghanaian boxers have qualified for the Olympics in Beijing as the boxing qualifiers ended in Windhoek, Namibia on Saturday night.

Kenya and Ghana, Nigeria also qualified four boxers while Morocco will be taking a total of 10 boxers to Beijing in August.

Nicholas Okongo Okoth won Kenya's only gold medal in the featherweight class at the qualifier while Ghana's Issah Samir (featherweight) and Bastie Samir (light heavyweight) won their weights.

Durodola Olanrewaju of Nigeria scored an excellent victory in the heavyweight final, coming from 4-0 down to beat Abgonso Yao of Togo on points.

The second African qualifying tournament in Windhoek finishes the qualifying process for the continent's boxers.

Morocco, whose Mohamed Amanissi won the super-heavyweight gold this weekend, will take 10 boxers to the August 8-24 Games, Algeria eight.

Egypt won three boxing medals for Africa at the 2004 Athens Games. The continent last won a boxing gold at the 1996 Olympics when Algeria's Hocine Soltani won the lightweight crown.