August 24, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) has commenced preparations for next month’s African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Dakar, Senegal.
The event, scheduled for September 6-16, will determine Africa’s representatives in boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A total of 14 Nigerian boxers across seven weight categories are currently training at the National Stadium in Lagos, ahead of the qualifier. The NBF is keen to qualify athletes for Paris after failing to do so for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“We have a mandate to ensure we are in the Olympics this time,” said NBF Secretary General Dapo Akinyele. The recent Africa Boxing Championships saw Nigeria finish seventh overall with one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Coach Anthony Konyegwechie said it was a decent showing given the minimal preparation time. He now expects more in Dakar following this training camp and another planned in the UK.
Boxing is Nigeria’s third most successful Olympic sport having won three silvers and three bronze medals. However, their last podium finishes were in 1992 when David Izonritei and Richard Igbineghu claimed silver in Barcelona. The NBF will hope this new generation of boxers can end that wait.
The Olympic qualifying event promises to be highly competitive with Africa’s top boxing nations vying for the limited spots. The NBF has put together an intensive training program in Lagos and the UK to give Nigeria’s boxers the best possible preparation as they aim to qualify and make their mark in Paris 2024.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
