THIS evening Tanzanian Alex Isendi a Lightweight boxer (57-63kg) will enter the ring for his first bout against Farhat Almnsori from Libya, at the 2020 African Olympic Qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
The continental qualifying events for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games started on Thursday at Dakar International Expo Center, Diamniadio, Senegal and will reach its climax on February 29th this year.
Other Tanzania boxers in the qualifiers will begin their campaign tomorrow in which, Boniphace Mlingwa (Featherweight 52-57kg) will battle it out against Manuel Gomes from Angola, Haruna Mhando (Super Heavyweight 91kg) will face Kutsuke Anani from Ghana.
On Monday, another Tanzanian boxer Yusuf Changarawe (Light heavy weight 75- 81kg) will face Mauricio Martins from Guinea Bissau in the preliminary stage of the qualifier.
At least 39 African nations with a total of 221 boxers are competing in 13 events (eight men’s events, five women’s events) with a goal to secure one of the 33 Olympic quota places to be awarded during the African qualifiers.
The competition begun with preliminary fights yesterday, this will end on Sunday.
After the preliminary fights, successful boxers will progress to the quarterfinals on Monday and on Tuesday for the semifinals. The finals will be staged on February 28th and 29th this year.
National boxing team has four boxers, that include Yusuf Changarawe (Light heavy weight 81 kg), Alex Isendi (Light welter weight 64 kg), Boniphace Mlingwa (Bantam weight 56 kg) Haruma Swanga (Super heavy weight 86 kg) under the charge of Head Coach, David Yombayomba.
According to International Olympic Committee (IOC), Africa is the first to start the runs of the five Tokyo 2020 boxing qualifiers.
Three additional continental qualifying events will follow in Amman, Jordan (Asian/ Oceanian qualifier, March 3-11), London, Great Britain (European qualifier, March 14 -24 ) and Buenos Aires, Argentina (America’s qualifier, March 26 to 3 April).
A fifth and last competition, the final world qualifying event, will be held in Paris, France, from May 13th to 20th this year.
There will be 278 Olympic quota places up for grabs at the qualifiers, and an additional eight quota places that will be assigned by the Tripartite Commission to qualify a total of 286 boxers for Tokyo 2020.
