Kenya’s boxing team at the 2025 IBA Women’s World Championships faces adversity as Pauline Chege and Lencer Akinyi are eliminated in the Round of 16. Only captain Liz Andiego remains to compete. The team has seen several fighters exit the competition, raising concerns regarding their overall performance and future in the tournament.
The series of challenges facing the Kenyan boxing team at the 2025 IBA Women’s World Championships intensified with the recent eliminations of Pauline Chege and Lencer Akinyi in the Round of 16. With only team captain Liz Andiego remaining in the fray, the nation’s hopes now center on her crucial quarterfinal match.
On the fourth day of the championship in Nis, Serbia, both Chege and Akinyi were eliminated by referee stoppages during their respective bouts. Chege, competing against Mijgona Samadova, a bronze medalist from the 2022 Asian Games, had the fight concluded just 66 seconds into the second round after sustaining considerable damage in the previous round. The judges scored predominantly in favor of Samadova.
Akinyi, who was competing in her first World Championships, faced a swift defeat as Serbian fighter Dragana Jovanovic quickly overwhelmed her, forcing a stoppage in the first round after merely 102 seconds. Both athletes advanced to the Round of 16 initially through walkovers, with Chege benefiting from the absence of Bojana Gojkovic, and Akinyi from Thandolwethu Mathiba.
Their departures add to the list of Kenyan eliminations, which includes earlier losses by Amina Martha Faki, Cynthia Mwai, Emily Juma, Friza Anyango, and Veronica Mbithe. Now, only Liz Andiego stands as the hope for Kenya; she has reached the light-heavyweight quarterfinals after earning a bye and will compete against China’s Wang Xiaomeng, who secured her spot against Kazakhstan’s Gulsaya Yerzhan.
Should Andiego achieve victory, she will guarantee herself at least $25,000 in prize money as part of an overall prize pool of $2.88 million. Gold medalists will receive $100,000, silver medalists $50,000, and semi-finalists $25,000, while quarterfinalists who do not advance will earn $10,000.
This marks Kenya’s fifth participation in the championships, having previously taken part in 2010, 2012, 2022, and 2023. To date, the only Kenyan boxer to have secured a victory without a walkover was Christine Ongare in 2023. Prize money eligibility mandates that boxers must have at least one win, either in the ring or by walkover, while participants must be under 41 years of age.
Accompanying the team in Serbia are delegation leader David Muhuhe, coach Musa Benjamin, and manager Gathoni Kinyua. The championship is scheduled to conclude on March 16, 2025.
In summary, Kenya’s participation in the 2025 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships is currently marked by significant challenges. With the elimination of key fighters Pauline Chege and Lencer Akinyi, the team’s hopes rest solely on Liz Andiego as she prepares for her quarterfinal match. The overall performance has been lackluster, with a history of struggles persisting as the tournament draws closer to its conclusion.
Original Source: eastleighvoice.co.ke
