Okutoyi chases Paris Olympics ticket in Accra

Kenya’s top-ranked female tennis player Angella Okutoyi is expected in Accra, Ghana Tuesday in readiness for the ongoing 2023 African Games.

Okutoyi will fly to Accra directly from the United States of America, where she is in her second year at Auburn University on a full tennis scholarship. The 20-year-old star heads a Kenyan team of four players under coach Francis Rogoi.

Zimbabwe-based Melissa Mwakha, 15, is also going to Accra directly from Harare where she is a student at Westbridge Secondary School.

Rogoi was due to leave the country Sunday night along with Nairobi-based duo Cynthia Cheruto Wanjala, 18, and Stacy Yego, 16, and the men’s team comprising Ismael Changawa, Albert Njogu, and Kevin Cheruiyot.

Coach George Oyoo, who is in charge of the men’s team, which also has Ibrahim Kibet, was due in Accra Sunday night from Australia where he is based.

Kenya’s Patrick Kamuhia will be the referee in charge of the discipline at the African Games. The draw will be done on Thursday, with matches serving off on Friday.

Gold medal winners in both categories will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. No Kenyan tennis player has ever qualified for the global showpiece.

Okutoyi, who is in position 533 in the WTA singles rankings, is optimistic of clinching the Paris ticket.

“My expectation is to qualify for the Olympics. I have been training hard and putting my training into the matches. It has been paying off well so I pray this stays the same," she told Nation Sport yesterday on phone from the USA.

Okutoyi, Changawa, Njogu, Cheruiyot, and Kibet competed at the last African Games in Rabat, Morocco in 2019, but did not go past the third round.