Kenya’s Hit Squad claimed the inaugural World Boxing African Championships title after winning 14 medals at Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi on Thursday, October 22, finishing ahead of Algeria in the continental competition.
The hosts collected five gold, three silver and six bronze medals to top the standings. Algeria finished second with five gold, three silver and three bronze medals, while Uganda placed third in a tournament featuring 15 nations and more than 150 boxers.
The narrow margin between Kenya and Algeria made the bronze-medal count decisive in separating the two leading teams, with the hosts finishing three medals ahead of their closest challengers in the overall tally.
Kenya’s gold medals included victories by Grace Atieno, Rosemarion Otieno and Juliet Opondo, who delivered decisive performances in their respective women’s finals.
Atieno won the 46–48kg final against Tanzania’s Veronica Thomas Mapunda after the referee stopped the contest in the third round. The victory secured gold for the Kenyan in the minimumweight division.
Otieno followed with a win over Algeria’s Ichrak Chaib in the women’s lightweight final. She secured the decision unanimously on points, earning the Best Female Boxer award for her performance at the championships.
Opondo also finished on top of the podium after stopping Tanzania’s Rachel Msengi in the opening round of their women’s heavyweight contest. Her victory added another gold medal to Kenya’s tally as the home team built its advantage in the standings.
Friza Asiko and Elizabeth Akinyi were also among Kenya’s notable performers. Asiko defeated Egypt’s Hamza Tia on points in the women’s light middleweight division, while Akinyi overcame Nigeria’s Blessing Orakyue in the light heavyweight category.
Veronica Mbithe was Kenya’s silver medallist in the women’s flyweight division after losing 4–1 to Algeria’s Fatiha Mansouri in the final. Mbithe had reached the title bout after defeating Uganda’s Muuwa Brenda by a unanimous 5–0 decision in the semifinals.
In the men’s competition, Kelvin Maina received the Best Male Boxer award after defeating Angola’s Martinho Loureiro Ferreira in the flyweight division. His performance earned him individual recognition at a tournament where Kenya’s overall medal haul secured the team title.
Kenya’s campaign also included a defeat in the men’s super heavyweight final, where Clinton “Abu” Macharia lost to Algeria’s Sid Ahmed Moussaoui in the over-90kg category.
The inaugural championships brought together boxers from across Africa under World Boxing, giving participating nations an opportunity to compete for continental honours.
For Kenya, winning the first edition on home soil provides a significant result for the national team as it continues to pursue success at international competitions.
