Flyweight female boxer Catherine Nanziri has become the first Ugandan athlete to exit from the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan.
Fighting at the grandest of stage of them all and for the first time ever by a Ugandan female boxer at the games, the 21-year old Uganda lost her Sunday bout unanimously to Japan’s Namiki Tsukimi (5-0) in the Flyweight division at the Kokugikan Arena in the round of 32.
Coming out of the blue corner, Nanziri lost all the three rounds before the five judges unanimously gave the fight to the Japanese boxer as score cards indicated a score of 30-27, 30-27, 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27 in favour of Tsukimi.
Despite her aggressiveness and showing signs of great skills for large parts of this three-rounder, she was always on the back foot right from the start and failed to capitalize on Tsukimi’s areas of weakness.
Uganda now hopes for better fortunes in Middleweight boxer David Semujju and Bombers captain Shadir Musa Bwogi Kimera. Ssemujju will be in the ring on Monday against Moroccoan Nemouchi.
Shadir Musa, who was handed a bye at the Welterweight round of 32 will rumble against Georgian Madiev in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
