Boxing team begins race for next Olympic Games

After failing to make the Japan 2020 Olympic Games, a Nigerian boxing team is in Dakar, Senegal, fighting to win slots in the Paris 2024 edition of the Games.
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Nigeria’s Olympics boxing has been on the wane since the country made triumphant outings at the 1992 and 1996 editions of the competition.The country, which usually had up to 10 men and women boxers at the Olympics, featured only one fighter at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games and had none in Japan. But officials of the boxing federation said they are determined to ensure the country is represented at the Paris 2024 Games.
 
The road to Paris began on Saturday in Dakar, where there are 18 Olympic quota berths on the line. The Dakar Arena is hosting the Boxing Africa Qualifier that ends on September 15.
 
This is the second qualification for Paris, following the European Games in June, where 44 boxers earned quota spots for their National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
 
According to officials, in the women’s categories, only the gold and silver medalists will secure slots for the Games in the first five categories, while only the gold medalist will proceed in the middleweight category.
 
The number of weight classes for men was decreased by one to seven, while the number of divisions for women was increased by one to six. Only one men’s quota spot is available in each of the seven classes for the Africa qualifier, however, there are two spots available in each of the women’s weight classes in Dakar, except the 75 kg division.
 
Boxers, who don’t qualify for quota seats in Dakar, will have another chance at the two world qualification competitions in Busto Arzizio, Italy from February 29 to March 12, 2024 and Bangkok, Thailand from May 23 to June 3, 2024.
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