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Ongare striving to make legacy in second World Championships fight
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 21.03.23. | 10:20
Ongare takes on Turkish international Erivan Barut in the Round of 16 bouts
Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Christine Ongare is feeling pumped ahead of her second fight in the ongoing IBA Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India.
Ongare is scheduled to fight it out against Turkish international Erivan Barut in the elite women’s Round of 16 minimum weight bout, an opponent the Kenyan says she knows little about, but is more than ready to make history.
“As I always say, I don't look at the name of the opponent, I only trust me,” Ongare said on Tuesday. “One step at a time. I have learnt to handle every game as it comes.”
Coming off a record equaling win over Tanzanian opponent Rahma Maganga in the first round of the championships on Saturday afternoon, Ongare took no time in dancing over being the only Kenyan so far to win a bout at the KD Jadhav Indoor Arena.
“That is history,” Ongare said of the win- the first for a Kenyan woman in the World Championships since Mary Muthoni did it in 2010. “My focus at the moment is just to go deeper in the tournament and at least win a medal.
“This is my third time in the Championships and going back to what I have been able to achieve, I have won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal and been in the Olympics. My record here [championships] needs to improve.”
Ongare took some time to visualize her career thus far, thanking God as the big reason she was excelling in the sport, while talking about the impact winning has to everyone around her.
“My aim has always been to become a trailblazer. That's why I try to win in every competition I am in,” Ongare said. “At the moment, more wins here will give me more belief to even go out to the younger generations and mentor them to become better. What’s important is I leave behind a good legacy worth being imitated.”
Nine of Kenya’s eleven boxers were knocked out in the first round and Tuesday will provide another opportunity for Ongare to chase more history against the reigning Euro 22 minimum weight gold medalist.









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