Ogallo, Akinyi lead taekwondo team for global events

Olympians Faith Ogallo and Milka Akinyi booked their tickets to represent Kenya at the World Taekwondo Championships in Azerbaijan and African Games in Ghana.

They won their respective categories at the national team trials held on Saturday at Kenyatta University where eight women and eight men made the national team. Players who lost in the final become their sparring partners.

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ogallo from Chalbi defeated Everlyne Waithera from Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) by 11 points to seven in the final of the Over 73 kilogrammes division.

“Winning my weight category was a great opportunity. Getting the chance again to lift the Kenyan flag as athletes is never easy. We go through a lot but giving up is never an option. Winning is always an assurance of tough times ahead and it means I have to put much more effort seeing myself achieving the goals I put in place all the time," said Ogallo, who won silver at the 2019 African Games in Morocco and bronze at the 2021 African Taekwondo Championships in Senegal.

Beijing 2008 Olympian Milkah Akinyi also from Chalbi beat Caroline Awino from KDF 21-17 in the Under-62kgs female division.

Africa Games bronze medalist Everlyn Aluoch from Chalbi overpowered Ruth Macharia from Kenya Prisons 31-26 points in the Under-73kgs female division.

“There was good competition from the teams. I managed to defend my weight category. I know the World Championships and African Games are very competitive and every other team out there is seriously preparing for them.

Therefore, there's no room for laxity but we have to keep working round the clock to ensure we don't deviate from our goal of getting medals in these major tournaments,” said Aluoch, who has held the female middleweight (U73kgs) title since 2019.

Agnes Njeri from Team Region of Nairobi stunned Edna Sichangi from Kibabii University 13-10 to clinch the national team spot in the U-46kgs female division.

Cynthia Wekesa from Kibabii University beat Margaret from KDF 13-7 in the U-49kgs female division.

Mary Muriu from team Chalbi, who won bronze at the 2021 African Taekwondo Championships, outwitted Evelyn Atieno from Shofco 4-3 in the U-52kgs female division.

Doreen Matekwa from KDF defeated Stacy Dock from Kisumu 6-4 in the U-57kgs as Pauline Zawadi from Chalbi swept aside KDF’s Caroline Kimani 19-16 in the U-67kgs female division.

In the men’s events, Daniel Ndiwe (KDF) narrowly beat Michael Omondi (Shofco) 11-9 in the U-54kgs division. It was also a close contest between Wycliffe Okoth from Team Regional and KDF’s Stephen Odhiambo where the former won 21-19 in the U-58kgs division.

Shawn Michael Ochieng’ from team Waithaka outmuscled Kevin Kanyigiwa from Team Regional 14-11 in the U-63kgs category as Lemiso Leshao (KDF) outshone Wizeck Opiyo (Regional) 17-13 in the U-68kgs division.

Evans Oduor (St Johns) beat Francis Masha (KDF) 26-17 points in the U-73kgs division.

Robert Omondi (KDF) proved too strong for Frank Odhiambo (Kibabii University) 27-21 in the U-80kgs division. Elijah Kimani (Regional) defeated Innocent Wafula (Kibabii) 21-20 points in the Over 84kgs division.

“The team comprising number one and two from all the categories made the team. They will begin their semi-residential training at the Pipeline taekwondo talent center in two weeks’ time,” said Kenya Taekwondo Federation assistant treasurer Nesmas Wesonga.