Africa Youth Games: Team Kenya adds to its medal haul with weightlifting prowess
By Luke Oluoch, December 19, 2025Kenya’s dominant run in the 2025 Africa Youth Championship in Angola has been extended as the weightlifting discipline added more medals to its overall tally on Thursday, December 18, 2025.
In a spectacular display, Kenya garnered a total of nine medals from the category courtesy of a dedicated performance from its budding charges.
Lina Amanda stole the show with a hat-trick of medals won on a single day.
The 48 kg lifter bagged two silver medals and one bronze, all won by a single athlete.
Her success cemented the East African nation’s dominance in the category and followed similar feats in the other sporting disciplines, such as karate, where Kenya earned its first medal on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
Earlier, 15-year-old Ace Hood Waiyaki (56 kg) had muscled his way to three bronze medals.
On his part, Ian Okinyi (60 kg) lifted big to claim three silvers in the same category.
Karate and Boxing triumphs
Meanwhile, Gideon Robert stormed into the last four of his karate bout after two dominant wins, overpowering Guinea.
The 15-year-old won in two straight sets to achieve the huge semifinal berth against his opponent, while Nancy Kawira and Jeff Okuku claimed bronze in the mixed doubles.
The on-pitch achievements add to similar record-breaking feats from karate.
The male team mounted a dedicated performance to bring home the first bronze under the leadership of coach Anthony Fondoh.
Margrate Nyevu built on the impressive form to secure a second bronze in the Individual Female Kumite-59kg.
Semi-finals
On Wednesday, Clinton Omondi also claimed a huge win over Namibia to place himself within the podium bracket after a semi-final boxing win.
Speaking after the victory, boxing coach John Ochieng lauded the team’s brave performance in what were their debut fights outside Kenya’s frontier.
“I am very happy with the team because the competitions are not easy, and since it’s their very first time to fight outside the Kenya games, they have really done a good job, and I am proud of them.” Ochieng said.