Kenya shines at the Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championships, nine boxers advance to finals

Kenya’s boxing team continued their strong run on day three of the Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championships, delivering commanding performances that further cement their status as one of the tournament’s top contenders.

The intense semi-final bouts at the Kasarani Indoor Arena saw two more Kenyan stars, Amina Martha and Cynthia Nimiai, storm into the finals, bringing team Kenya’s tally to nine finalists so far.

In the women’s bantamweight (52–54 kg) semi-final, Amina Martha displayed true grit against Ethiopia’s Roman Asefa Abate, snatching a 3–2 split-decision win after three tight rounds.

In the same category, Tanzania’s Zulfa Yusufu outboxed DRC’s Bisambu Bawo in a 5–0 unanimous decision, setting up an all-East African final clash between Martha and Yusufu.

“For now, I’m overwhelmed and so happy because I’m aiming for a gold, so this is just a stepping stone to achieve that,” noted Martha after her bout.

Kenya’s momentum rolled on in the women’s light welterweight (60–63 kg) division, where Cynthia Nimiai dominated Uganda’s Namutebi Erina with a clean 5–0 unanimous decision.

With these wins, Kenya now has nine boxers in the finals, trailing leaders DRC with fourteen, while Tanzania and Uganda follow with five finalists each.

Tanzania’s head coach, Msongi Hassan, commended his players and the other's alike, noting that East African nations have showcased significant improvement.

“The matches have been tough because the Congo players are strong opponents, but our boxers have shown great tactical awareness and resilience,” he said.

As the semi-finals wrap up, team kenya remains laser-focused on converting their strong performances into gold medals, a statement that would reaffirm the country’s rising power in continental boxing.