Amina settled for bronze in the bantamweight division after losing to Nigeria’s Shukurat Kareem in the semi-finals following a left shoulder injury she sustained in the first round, forcing the referee to terminate the match.
With her historic achievement, Amina has opened the door for more Kenyan female boxers to be exposed to continental tournaments.
If Kenyan female boxers were in the light-welterweight, welterweight, middleweight, light-heavyweight, and heavyweight divisions, they would have won more medals.
The light-welterweight, welterweight, light-heavyweight, and heavyweight had only two entrants, while the middleweight had three boxers.
During the 2019 African Games, Kenya’s female representatives included Liz Andiego, Lorna Kusa, and Christine Ongare. It was the first time the Kenyan women took part in the African Games. African female boxers made their debut in the African Games in 2015 in Congo Brazzaville.
However, Kenya returned home with one silver and four bronze medals from the 2019 African Games.
Amina’s precious bronze and the equally precious middleweight gold medal by Edwin Okong’o are the most significant achievements for the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK ) under former boxer President Anthony “Jamal” Ombok, who took over power in 2019 from John Kameta.
Okong’o won East Africa’s first gold medal in 17 years. The last gold medal for the region in the African Games came at the 2007 African Games through Kenya’s light-flyweight Suleiman Bilali, a product of Railways Starehe Boxing Club located in Muthurwa Estate, famously known as Dallas. That’s where Kenya’s first-ever boxer, and the only one to win a world title, Steve “Destimo” Muchoki, learned his trade.
The two weighty medals by Amina Martha and Edwin Okong’o should act as a lubricant to inspire the federation to maintain its momentum and aspire for further success as Kenya struggles to rekindle its glorious past in the ring.
Congratulations Jamal and Company!
