Kenyan youngsters added six medals in weightlifting, taekwondo and boxing at the penultimate day of the African Youth Games to take the overall tally to 23 in Luanda, Angola on Thursday.
The day’s medal harvest for Kenya was opened by fast-rising weightlifter Amanda Linah who racked up two silver and a bronze in the snatch and clean and jerk categories for a rare triple feat in the 48kgs.
The teenager has experienced a remarkable and steady ascent in the sport after she also starred at the 2024 Africa Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship held in Nairobi where she won six silver medals.
In the taekwondo contest, Racheal Wekesa, 15, settled for silver after losing 2-0 against Leyan Yasser Mohammed of Egypt, falling 13-1 and 7-3 in the Under 48kgs final.
In the boy’s Under 45kgs, Kenya’s Gideon Robert clinched bronze after losing to Issaka Mahamadou of Ivory Coast in the third-place contest.
Robert lost 6-3 in round one before his opponent put the game beyond his reach with a 8-5 win in round two.
Kenya was also in the podium in boxing after Clinton Omondi, who was making his debut at the continental stage, finished third after losing to Bofenda Mabela of DR Congo in the boy’s under 50kg fight.
Thursday’s haul pushed Kenya’s medal overall tally to 23 with four gold, seven silver and 12 bronze.