Andiego, Lencer and Emily missing in action
Three of the eight boxers who represented Kenya’s national team in the Women’s World Championships in Serbia will be missing in action when the Kenya Open Championships starts on Wednesday.
Flyweight Lencer Akinyi and lightweight Emily Juma – both members of BoxGirls Club – will be unavailable owing to pressing domestic commitments.
Thrice quarter-finalist in the World Championships and captain of the national team Andiego is unlikely to get an opponent to challenge her superiority in the middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions.
Since 2021 when she stopped Eldoret-based Metrine Sagina at Charter Hall, Andiego has not fought locally due to lack of opponents in the heavier weights, a common trend in Africa.
“I’m not coming for the Kenya Open, it’s expensive to sponsor myself and it’s also difficult to train alone here in Eldoret,” Metrine told boxersworld.co.ke in response on whether she will take part in the Kenya Open.
“I know there will be no competitive boxers to challenge me, I will be there to see the upcoming fighters and try to motivate them,” said Andiego in an interview.
“We lack female boxers from welterweight going up, we need to encourage them, some start but give up on the way.”
Kenya’s first female boxer to win a medal in the African Games, Amina Martha Faki remained unbeaten in the 2024 national league, and in her current sparkling form, Amina has no opposition at bantamweight.
Defending light-flyweight champion, Corporal Veronica Mbithe, who outpointed Lencer Akinyi in last year’s finals, is unchallenged in the light-flyweight class, so is flyweight Faith Nafuna who was expected to battle it out with Lencer Akinyi but now that Lencer has pulled out Nafuna is expected to have things her own way unless there’s a surprise from a newcomer. Even if Lencer took part she said would have moved down to minimumweight.
International featherweight Pauline Chege should expect another tough duel from Siaya’s Emmaculate Atieno if she takes part in the Kenya Open. Atieno scored a shocking points victory over Pauline in the last leg of the league last year in Homa Bay.
Kenya’s top female welterweight, Friza Anyango, is also in a class of her own, and therefore there’s no boxer to worry her.
BFK MEDIA
