By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Nigerian boxers at the African Games on the night of Friday, 22 March, 2024 won eight gold medals at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra .
Joy Ojo opened the account for the day, winning in the 57kg women’s category after defeating Algeria’s Selmouni Chahira.
After this, Dele Omole made it two for the West African country when he took home the gold medal in the 57kg category. He beat Sigauque Amando of Mozambique.
In the 75kg women’s category, it was Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata taking the gold medal, winning 4-0 against Molka Ben Mabrouk of Tunisia.
Olaitan Olaore added more gold to Nigeria’s tally after knocking out Kevin Kuadjovi of Togo in the men’s 92kg event. But that was not all on the day! Egypt’s Rahma Mafouz Ibrahim lost to Cynthia Ogunsemilore in the women’s 60kg final while Blessing Oraekwe punched her way to gold in the 70kg category for women. She beat Alcinda Lucas Dos Santos of Mozambique to the prize
Meanwhile, in the women’s 81kg fight, Jacinta Umunnakwe reigned supreme when she outpunched DR Congo’s Marie Joel Nwika.
Ifeanyi Onyekwere then saw off his Equatorial Guinea challenger Yann Mike Mansogo in the men’s 92kg+ category to put the icing on the cake on a historic night for Nigeria.
