The morale of ardent Ethiopian boxing fans is sky-high with two boxers to feature in Friday’s (March 22) African Games boxing finals in Accra.
Sensational flyweight Betelhem Gayiza, who’s just one-year-old in the national team, maintained her fairytale run in Accra by punching her way to the finals with an inspiring 5-0 victory over Africa silver medallist Muamba Nyembo of DR Congo on Wednesday
The 24-year-old Gayiza, a member of Addis Police Boxing Club, now joins compatriot Betel Wolde Dedi who is already in the finals, and will trade leather against Isabel Mulungo from Mozambique in the welterweight division which attracted only two boxers.
Gayiza takes on Morocco’s silver medallist at the 2022 Africa Championships Rabab Cheddar in the finals.
The two boxers are aiming to emulate Gemechu Bezabeh, so far the only Ethiopian boxer to have won gold in the African Games.
Bezabeh, now based in the United Kingdom, led Ethiopia to their best ever performance in the African Games in 1987 in Nairobi. Ethiopia placed third overall with one gold, two silver and one bronze medal behind winners Kenya and second-placed Uganda.
Bezabeh won flyweight gold by outpointing Tanzania’s Benjamin Mwangata in the finals with light-welterweight Tewedros Mitiku and welterweight Sahelu Mekuria settling for silver medals, both losing to Kenyans David “DK” Kamau and Africa’s first black Olympic gold medallist Robert Wangila respectively. The bronze medal came from featherweight Yonas Wobishet.
Ethiopia sent seven boxers to Accra under head coach Tewodrose Tilahun assisted by Efrem Negashe.
✍🏼 *_AFBC Communications_*
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