Paris 2024 Olympics : Coach Adura to handle boxing team

Photo : Coach Adura Olalehin (left) and lightweight pugilist, Cynthia Ogunsemilore

Nigeria’s boxers for the Paris Olympics have pitched camp in Saarland, a South Western German state bordered by France and Luxembourg.

The team is under US-based coach Adura Olalehin, a former international boxer who won a silver medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Adura assisted national coach, Tony Konyegwachie at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, and the Africa Olympic qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal. Konyegwachie, who guided Nigeria to their historic win in the Accra Games, was dropped for the Paris trip at the last minute

The two boxers in Germany with Adura are African Games champions, lightweight Cynthia Ogunsemilore and heavyweight Adam Olaore while African Games featherweight gold medallist Dolapo Omole remained behind in Lagos for his left knee treatment.

“I’m relying on divine intervention to make it to Paris,” Omole said from her base in Lagos.

“The knee problem started when I was six years old, it got worse during the African Games in Accra but I’m sure I’ll be okay to link up with my teammates before they leave for Paris.”

Adura was impressed by Ongumsemilore’s performance in sparring session against a German boxer at Saarland Sports Campus.

“She did very well in the sparring, God-willing Cynthia will become Nigeria’s first female boxer to win an Olympic medal possibly, gold,” said Adura with confidence
Among other Paris-bound teams training at Saarland Sports Campus are Denmark, Philippines, India and Ireland.