Boxing: Burundian Ornella Havyarimana leaves Tokyo 2021 with her head held high
Burundian boxer Ornella Havyarimana at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. AP - Frank Franklin II
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
2 min
Burundi flag bearer Ornella Havyarimana was eliminated in her first fight at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games boxing tournament on July 29 at the Kokugikan Arena.
But the Burundian was able to measure her progress against Serbian Nina Radovanovic, an opponent she had already faced.
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From our special correspondent in Tokyo,
Despite the blows, Ornella Havyarimana never ceased to come forward, to display her fighting spirit.
Dripping and panting after a fight where she gave everything, the Burundian still sketched a smile at the end.
Because, even if she lost by unanimous decision of the judges (5-0), the flyweight was able to measure her progress in boxing, against the Serbian Nina Radovanovic.
"
I had faced him before and it had been more difficult the first time,
" she said.
It was at the 2019 World Amateur Championships and the Serbian won by unanimous decision there too.
But Ornella Havyarimana is sure of her fact: “
Even my opponent could see that I have improved.
"
"I am alone to represent Burundian boxing"
Out of the game at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, the flag bearer of Burundi wants to keep a positive note of her experience at the Olympics. "
Yes, I am proud because I alone came to represent Burundian boxing
", his delegation, also including five other athletes in total, divided between athletics and swimming.
Not so bad for the young woman who started boxing in 2013, at the age of 15, against the advice of her family, opposed to a girl practicing this discipline.
"
Deep down, I felt that I could not give up boxing, because I really loved it, it was in me
", explained Ornella Havyarimana in February 2019 in Akeza.
A few years later, here is the Burundian boxer at the Games, with the best amateurs on the planet.
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