Algeria is the only African nation to have already secured Olympic quota places for the London Olympic Games and is one of its continent's leading nations. Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist and All Africa Games winner, Abdelhafid Benchebla, became the first London Olympian from the North African country. The 25-year-old boxer qualified for the Olympic Games in style, by winning the inaugural World Series of Boxing (WSB) Individual Championships in China, last May. This quick and intelligent counter puncher continues to make a name for himself in the WSB and with his place for London 2012 assured; he will look to make a big impact during this summer's Olympic Games.
Algeria's Bantamweight No.1, African Champion Mohamed Amine Oudahi, bagged the second quota place for his country, finishing in the top 16 of his weight class at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku. Oudahi is currently on an intense training schedule in Algiers, the capital city, looking to reach peak form for the start of the Olympic Games. The winner of the All Africa Games, powerful WSB fighter Chouaib Bouloudinat, advanced to the quarter-finals at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, after beating England's Commonwealth Games winner, Simon Vallily. He unfortunately just missed out on both a medal and an Olympic quota place whilst in Azerbaijan. Despite losing at such a late stage in the competition, he is now one of the overwhelming favourites to qualify from the upcoming African Olympic Qualifying Event in Morocco.
Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist and All Africa Games winner, Abdelkader Chadi, was seeded at the AIBA World Boxing Championships but unexpectedly came unstuck in his second contest against Hungary's Miklos Varga. The 25-year-old lightweight boxer from Sétif is yet another great Olympic hope for the North African country.
Algeria's Super Heavyweight No.1, veteran Kamel Rahmani, has been part of the national squad for the last ten years. After several years spend underachieving, he returned to the boxing scene with grit and determination. He has doubled his efforts in training this season and is hoping for some impressive results in this Olympic year. Rahmani won the gold medal at the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique and now has a strong chance of reaching the quota place in Casablanca this May.
In the Light Flyweight class, All Africa Games silver medallist Mohamed Flissi from Boumerdes and 19-year-old Fahem Hammachi will fight each other to be a part of the top team in Algeria. The nation's best Flyweight boxer, 21-year-old Samir Brahimi from Sétif, will fight Mohamed Bousmaha, his biggest rival in Algeria to see who No.1 is.
African Championship silver medallist, Army boxer Sid Ali Berrag, has limited experience at international level, but despite this, still has a fighting chance of reaching the quota place. Algeria's top Welterweight, African Championship silver medallist, 19-year-old Ilyas Abbadi, and reigning African Middleweight champion, Abdelmalek Rahou, are also favourites for the quota spots for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The Algerian women boxers have got strong knowledge and great skill, meaning it is expected to see at least one achieve an Olympic quota place for the London 2012 Olympic Games, where women make their debut this year. If they qualify, they will be able to showcase the staggering improvement of African women's boxing. The top contenders are Sara Rahmraoui, the experienced Naziha Charifi, three-time National Champion Manel Meharzi, African Champion Nezha Boumaraf and Sebiha Benchalal. Each of these talented fighters is planning great things for the 7th AIBA Women's World Championships in China this May. Let us now see who comes out on top and just who makes their dreams come true and makes it through to the Olympics Games.
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