Kenya's Christine Ongare knocked out of World Women's Boxing Championships

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BOXING Kenya's Christine Ongare knocked out of World Women's Boxing Championships

Festus Chuma 15:10 - 21.03.2023

Ongare was rendered a first-round casualty by Erivan Barut of Turkey.

Kenyan boxer Christine Ongare has been eliminated from the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships.

Ongare, the 2018 Commonwealth bronze medalist, could not make it past the Round of 16 in the minimumweight division and was knocked out by Erivan Barut of Turkey.

She hardly threw any punches as she spent the opening minutes ducking before landing on a powerful jab from Barut and fell to the canvas in Round One.

Ongare had booked the Round of 16 after eliminating Tanzanian Rahma Maganga in the second Round of the bout played on Sunday.

The victory against Maganga became the first in the last 13 years for Kenya, who had the previous victorious fight at this level in 2010.

Mary Muthoni was the first and last Kenyan woman to win a bout at the global tournament when she beat Grenada's Toussaint Chloe in round two in a fight in Barbados.

On her side, Barut, the European Under-22 light flyweight champion, had eliminated Guatemala's Dayana Gonzalez.

Ongare was optimistic about securing a spot in the quarterfinals but failed to make full use of her wealth of experience, quickly losing to the Turkish.

"I am very happy to make this historic achievement after trying in 3 World Championships, my dream has always been winning a title outside Africa and this could be the stepping stone to the achievement of my dream," Ongare said before the fight against Barut.

Hit Squad captain Elizabeth Andiego is now the only Kenyan remaining in the competition and is scheduled to meet Fariza Shotley of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals of the light heavyweight division on Wednesday.

Kenya sent 11 boxers for the global championship that is taking place at 6000-seat K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi, India.

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