The AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event continued on Sunday with a third day of action from the men and women boxers in Yaoundé. Among the highlights was Zambia’s talented 18-year-old Emmanuel Ngoma, who put in one of the performances of the day to defeat Kenya’s top-seeded bantamweight Benson Gicharu.

In the women’s competition, Cameroon’s Christine Akoa Bengono got the home crowd cheering as she won every round against Ghana’s Ramatu Qauye, before Moroccan number one Hasnaa Lachgar made light work of experienced Kenyan Teresiah Wanjiru to progress at lightweight.

Morocco’s current AFBC African Champion Imad Ahyoun was able to continue his great WSB form by knocking out Tunisian rival Mehdi Hajri in their key light flyweight bout, and Nigerian 20-year-old Muyideen Oyakojo looked at home at flyweight as he eliminated Kenya’s Simon Mulinge.

“I was focusing on my opponent and following my plan in the ring and it proved successful against the Kenyan today. He is a strong boxer like me, but I caught him in every round and was confident for the final minutes. The Olympic Games are one step closer and I am not tiring, so I am ready for my next challenge in Yaoundé,” said Muyideen Oyakojo, who now faces Algerian number one Mohamed Flissi in the quarter-finals.

Tunisia’s Montassar El Bouali successfully negotiated a tough bout against Botswana’s African Youth Games winner Mohamed Otukile Rajab, but youthful vigour won the day for Zambia’s 18-year-old Emmanuel Ngoma as he beat Kenya’s number one bantamweight  Benson Gicharu. Uganda’s Atanas Mugerwa then caused another upset as he eliminated Egypt’s London 2012 Olympian Hesham Yehya Mahmoud Abdelaal.

Ghana’s Mohammed Azumah looked strong as he beat Namibia’s Abel Mikasiu in their welterweight clash, and home favourite Salif Nsangou Njikam managed to lift himself after a slow start to overcome Mauritius’ All Africa Games bronze medallist Jean-Luc Rosalba.

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