Adinan tough on Olympic mission

Yasin Adinan is easily one of the most talented amateur boxers of this generation with an equal blend of pace, power and deft ring craft but he has never represented Uganda at a major tournament.

The lightweight boxer from Kibuli slums wants to erase this chapter on his promising CV. He wants his national debut to be the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“Olympics is my mission, actually the only mission because I know if you go to that tournament you don’t remain the same,” he said.

“Whatever I have achieved is on merit and I know only merit will earn me the Olympic ticket. So I must fight for it.” In today’s semifinal of the National Olympic Trials at Lugogo, Adinan is not sure who his next opponent is of Isaac Ssebuufu, Okot and Joshua Tukamuhebwa.

Equally talented
In May, he lost to equally talented and experienced youngster Tukamuhebwa and missed the trip to the African Games in Rabat, Morocco. He is readier now.
“We made some mistakes in that fight and since I was new in that [63kg] weight division, I was a bit disadvantaged. But we’ve sorted that now, and I’m ready for Joshua if he crosses my path.”

Adinan acknowledged that his previous two opponents adopted a strategy of defending their trunks because they fear his venomous body shots. “But my coaches have forged away to counter that as well.” One of the coaches also predicted that Adinan is one of the favourites for the Olympic ticket. Asked whether he shall beat Tukamuhebwa, he answered in the affirmative.

This tournament is a qualifier to the African Olympic Qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal in February.

NATIONAL OLYMPIC TRIALS

SELECT RESULTS - YESTERDAY
Welterweight
Musa Shadir bt Muhammad Ali
Flyweight
Muhammad Lwanga bt JB Katongole
Dixon Mubiru bt Geoffrey Ochan
Bantamweight
Isaac Masembe bt Frank Muhirwe

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