Last Kenyan boxer Okwiri bows out of Rio 2016

The last Kenyan boxer, at the Rio 2016 Olympics Rayton Okwiri, has cried foul over his elimination on Thursday evening after suffering a controversial unanimous 3-0 defeat to Morocco’s Mohammed Rabii in the men welterweight 69kg category.

Okwiri’s loss also erased any hopes Kenya had of medalling at the 31st edition of the Summer Games outside athletics after all  competitors in swimming, judo, rugby sevens, archery and the weightlifter who’s fate remains undetermined bowed out.

Three judges awarded all the rounds in the close fight to the 23 year-old Moroccan 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 in the bout where the Kenyan took most punishment in the second.

The 30-year old however, decried the result that saw the crowd loudly boo the official verdict believing he had beaten the Moroccan.

“I was well prepared for the medal although my dream has been shattered today. I controlled the game leading from round one only to get surprised on how the points were awarded.

“I am now confused, where the problem is as the Moroccan didn’t defeat me in any round” the Kenya Prisons Officer said after the bout..

The ‘hit squad boxer’ however congratulated all those who offered him support during and after his exit from the Olympics.

“It’s disappointing I lost, but I thank God for taking me this far, I also thank my fans for their support. #Olympics,” he posted on Facebook.

Compatriots Benson Gicharu and Peter Mungai were knocked out of the competition on Wednesday after falling to Mongolian and Cuban opposition in another underwhelming performance by Kenya on the ring.

The late Robert Wangila Napunyi thus remains the only Kenyan boxer to win gold at the biggest sporting event in the world after taking the honours at the 1988 Games in Seoul.

Additional reporting from Edward Mokuah