The fourth day of competition day was held at the AIBA African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Casablanca, Morocco where medallists in the 49, 52, 60 and 81kg weight categories joined the two Algerians, Abdelhafid Benchebla and Mohamed Amine Oudahi in qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Mozambique's Balado Memorial Cup silver medallist, 18-year-old Juliano Maquina, became the first in the AIBA African Olympic Qualification Tournament to get his quota place for the Olympics. The teenager was leading 8:4 against Burkina Faso's multiple-National Champion Antoine Koama when the referee stopped their unequal Light Flyweight contest. Maquina will now be the first boxer from Mozambique to take to the ring at the Olympic Games since Lucas Januario's participation at Atlanta in 1996. Maquina's opponent in the semi-finals will be Morocco's Abdelali Daraa, who has also qualified for London.
Algeria's All Africa Games silver medallist Mohamed Flissi had a one point deficit against Ghana's 20-year-old African Zonal Champion Sulemanu Tetteh after three minutes. Azzedine Aggoune the Algerian head coach changed the tactic after the first round and Flissi was able to turn the fight. He will now meet Cameroon's All Africa Games winner Willy Thomas Essomba, who had a quick contest against Ethiopia's newcomer Hadis Gebreselassie Assefa.
Ghana's Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist, 20-year-old Duke Akueteh Micah, a member of his national squad since 2008, had enough experience to beat South Africa's multiple National Champion Ludumo Lamati 15:9 to secure the first African Flyweight ticket for teh Olympic Games. Micah's next rival will be Kenya's Commonwealth Games silver medallist Benson Gicharu, who triumphed over Mauritius' young Jason Lavigilante by a narrow 10:9 scoreline.
Botswana's current All Africa Games winner Oteng Oteng realised his dreams of qualification following his victory over Egypt's AIBA Youth World Championships bronze medallist teenager Hesham Mahmoud Abdelaal. He controlled their Flyweight quarter-final from the first seconds and achieved Botswana's first boxing quota. For the final he has to fight against Algeria's Samir Brahimi, who eliminated Tunisia's Montassar Bouali.
Tunisia's Lightweight No.1, All Africa Games winner and Arab Champion Ahmed Mejri had a great battle against Egypt's World Combat Games winner Mohamed Ramadan Eliwa. The Tunisian athlete put in a great performance in the second frame which was enough to clinch the win in this important fight. The Egyptian boxer, who missed out on the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, will now compete during London 2012. He faces if Seychelles' Indian Ocean Islands Games winner Andrique Allisop in the next round. The Seychelles did not have any boxers in Beijing but 20-year-old Allisop has now qualified.
Algeria's Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist Abdelkader Chadi fought for the quota against Benin's WSB boxer Shafick Chitou, who had some really remarkable victories during his career. The Algerian star led 8:6 after the second frame and made a great final round which resulted in another quota for the North African nation. Chadi will now meet Cameroon's All Africa Games bronze medallist Abdon Mewoli in the semi-finals of the event.
Tunisia's Light Heavyweight spearhead, current African Champion Yahya Mkacheri dominated his fight against Kenya's Beijing Olympian veteran Aziz Ali and qualified as the second Tunisian competitor in the fourth competition day. His next rival for the final will be Cameroon's All Africa Games bronze medallist Christian Domfack Adjoufack, who eliminated Mauritius' Veejaye Agathe in their quarter-final contest.
Morocco's former African Champion Ahmed Bakri returned to the world of boxing last year and reached his target as he qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games following his great victory over Ghana's 19-year-old All Africa Games bronze medallist David Bawah. Bakri will now meet All Africa Games silver medallist Lukmon Lawal, who became the first Nigerian boxer to get a quota place this year.
Morocco's Super Heavyweight No.1, Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist WSB fighter Mohamed Arjaoui eliminated Algeria's All Africa Games winner veteran Kamel Rahmani 10:5 and advanced to the semi-finals where he will fight Kenya's Charles Odhiambo Okoth for the chance to participate at the Olympic Games this summer.
Cameroon's African Champion Blaise Yepmou Medouo also increased his experiences at the World Series of Boxing and his knowledge was enough to eliminate DR Congo's National Champion Meji Mwamba by large margin of points. Cameroon's pride will be fighting for the quota against Egypt's Issa Ahmed Madian in the Super Heavyweight semi-final.
Copyright © 2012 AIBA http://www.aiba.org