Mean-looking and formidable Kenyan heavyweight pugilist Elly Ajowi isn't mincing any words after stumbling on a rare chance to fly the country's flag at the Tokyo Olympic Games set for July.
Ajowi has warned his opponents to brace up for his fury in the ring as he leaves nothing to chance in his unbridled bid to bag a maiden Olympic medal.
"I thank God for securing a berth in Tokyo. I intend to use the Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championship in Kinshasa to gauge my potential ahead of the Olympics," said Ajowi.
And after unleashing the salvo, the towering and bulky boxer quickly interjects to point out that his bravado shouldn't be misconstrued to mean he disregards any of his opponents.
"In boxing there is no weak opponent. Everyone is worthy of being in the ring. Obviously, they qualified for the Olympics because they deserve to be there and there is no way I'm going to belittle them," said Ajowi.
The IOC Boxing Task Force in a mail to Olympics Kenya confirmed that two Kenyan boxers, Elly Ajowi and Elizabeth Akinyi (welterweight) had earned a quota place to the Games through the Boxing Task Force (BTF) Rankings.
Ajowi and Akinyi anxiously lay in wait for the lifeline, both having narrowly missed out on automatic qualification berths after crashing out to their opponents at the semifinal stage of the 2020 African boxing qualifiers in Dakar Senegal. Each returned home with a bronze medal.
After their inclusion, they joined early birds Nick Okoth (featherweight) and Christine Ongare (flyweight) to form the boxing quartet in the Kenyan contingent.
They have been training diligently with the rest of the national squad in Lavington, Nairobi since the resumption of sports mid last year.
The National Police Service officer is part of the strong 16-man Hit Squad currently trading blows at the Africa Zone 3 Boxing Championship in Kinshasa, DRC as he gauges his preparedness for the Olympics.
The boxer has, however, called on the Boxing Federation of Kenya to put more opportunities for further friendly bouts in place to enable the quartet gather sufficient ammunition for a medal overhaul.
"We need to participate in at least two more competitions to prepare adequately for the Tokyo Olympics. How I wish the BFK would be able to sponsor more trips before the July," said Ajowi.
