• The two-time Kenya Open champion will be following in the footsteps of Jane Davis and Susan Wakhungu, who won gold and silver respectively at the 1978 edition in Algiers.
•Others to have played include Paul Wekesa, Eno Polo and Norbert Oduor among others.
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Kenya's top-ranked tennis player Angela Okutoyi will play at the African Games in Accra Ghana in March.
Tennis Kenya (TK) administrator, Nancy Nduku, said the 2022 doubles Wimbledon junior champion will play at the Panafrican Games in her bid to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in July this year.
"Okutoyi has confirmed that she will play at the African Games and she stands a good chance of winning the event and becoming the first Kenyan tennis player to play at the Olympic Games.”
Okutoyi 's other alternative route to the Olympics is to achieve the top 100 ranking by June 10.
Okutoyi is ranked 585 in the world and she is expected to play some build-up tournaments to be in the best possible shape for the continental games.
Okutoyi is currently playing in the US circuit and recently reached the semifinals of the W35 tennis tournament held in Naples, Florida, where she lost to eighth seed Allie Kik of the United States 6-0, 6-4 a fortnight ago.
She is expected to play in other tournaments in the coming few weeks and said she is relishing the challenge of playing at the African Games.
“ It will be an honour to play in the tournament. I am looking forward to playing against the best on the continent," she added.
Okutoyi, who is a student at Auburn University, USA believes playing in the United States has improved her all-round game.
“I believe the last year has seen improvement in various facets of my play. Training with the college coaches and playing in some tournaments has boosted my confidence," she observed.
The two-time Kenya Open champion will be following in the footsteps of Jane Davis and Susan Wakhungu, who won gold and silver respectively at the 1978 edition in Algiers.
Others to have played include Paul Wekesa, Eno Polo and Norbert Oduor among others.
Elsewhere, Kenyan players posted mixed performances at the ongoing J30 tennis tournament at Nairobi Club. Baraka Ominde beat Kevin Shirazi of Great Britain 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 to advance to the third round.
Ayush Bhandari, however, found the going tough, losing to Ibrahim Ali of Egypt, 6-3, 6-0 in the second round. Ruhan Bhandari, Edward Mwakio, Liberty Kibue, Edward Mwakio, and Jeff Okuku bowed out in the first round.