BOXING

Quest for gold: Three Bombers in tough semi-final bouts

Moses King 14:24 - 04 August 2023

Solomon Geko (Heavyweight)-R-, Erinah Namutebi (light welterweight) and Nakalema Emily (welterweight)-L.

Three national team boxers, Solomon Geko (Heavyweight), Erinah Namutebi (light welterweight) and Nakalema Emily (welterweight), will be gunning for glory in the semi-finals of the Africa Elite Men's and Women's Boxing Championships, Yaounde, Cameroon.

Seventeen boxers represent Uganda; at least seven will return home with championship medals.

The trio will be in action on day two of the semi-final bouts, August 4, after four Ugandan boxers faced the Democratic Republic of Congo counterparts on day one.

Geko Solomon has a wealth of experience in boxing

Impressive She Bombers captain Emily Nakalema resumes her quest for Africa gold after she defeated Nigeria's Peter Kate Isim of Nigeria in the welterweight category quarterfinals to reach the semi-finals. The 24-year-old will be facing Gomes Ivanusa of Cape Verde.

Emily Nakalema (in blue) delivers the punishment to win Uganda a medal. UBF

Nakalema is an experienced boxer, having featured in the Dakar Africa Olympic qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.

There, she reached the quarterfinals. She has also won gold at the national open boxing championships and defended her national title in 2019.

Meanwhile, Geko and Namutebi will only be opening their campaign in the high-stakes bout after receiving a bye to the medal brackets in the draws. Namutebi faces Mulongo Sandra of Mozambique, while Geko will face Zacharie Amougou of Cameroon.