Nigeria chase gold at African Military Boxing Champs

Nigeria’s Armed Forces are chasing their first gold medal at the 6th African Military Boxing Championship in Rabat, Morocco, after securing four bronze medals with two fighters still in contention for the ultimate prize.

The Nigerian contingent, led by coach Aweda Kehinde, a former Olympian who represented the country at the Atlanta, Georgia, 1996 Games and currently serves as the Nigeria Army boxing coach, has delivered impressive performances at the championship that began on June 14th and will end on Sunday, the 22nd.

Team Nigeria’s medal haul currently stands at four bronze medals, with the potential for more precious metal as two boxers remain in the competition’s latter stages.

Rilwan Lawal of the Nigeria Army has reached the final and stands on the brink of delivering the country’s first gold medal at the tournament. The army boxer’s journey to the final represents the pinnacle of Nigeria’s campaign in Morocco.

Gbadamosi Quadri, also from the Nigerian Army, is currently competing in the semi-final stage, offering another route to a potential gold medal for the Nigerian team.

The bronze medal winners have already guaranteed Nigeria a respectable showing at the continental championship. Balogun Emmanuel Adeola of the Air Force settled for bronze after what would have been a hard-fought campaign in his weight category.

Samson Kazeem of the Nigerian Army also claimed bronze, adding to the Army’s impressive medal tally at the championship. Ambrose Godwin, another Nigerian Army representative, secured bronze in his division.

Akeem Adebamiji of the Nigerian Navy claimed bronze, ensuring all three branches of Nigeria’s Armed Forces contributed to the medal haul and demonstrating the breadth of boxing talent across the military services.

The championship has seen mixed fortunes for some Nigerian fighters. Qoyum Qozeem of the Nigerian Army was eliminated in the quarter-final stage, whilst Balogun Al-Ameen Olamide of the Air Force also exited the competition at the same stage.

The tournament in Rabat represents a significant opportunity for Nigeria’s military boxers to showcase their talents on the continental stage. Coach Kehinde’s experience as a former Olympian has proven invaluable in preparing the team for the rigours of international competition.

The championship in Morocco continues to provide thrilling boxing action, with Nigeria’s representatives proving they can compete with the best military boxers across the African continent.

As the tournament reaches its climax, all eyes will be on Lawal’s final bout and Quadri’s semi-final encounter, with the potential to transform Nigeria’s good showing into an excellent one with the addition of gold medal success.