African Games: Kenya's Angela Okutoyi wins gold in women's singles tennis

Kenya’s Angela Okutoyi is the new African Games women’s singles tennis champion after she defeated Lamis Elhussein from Egypt in straight sets on the centre court of the Borteyman Sports Complex on Thursday, March 21.

The match, which lasted one hour and thirty minutes, saw Okutoyi defeating her opponent6-4, 6-2 to clinch the coveted gold medal.

En route to her golden feat, she overcame opening set loss to defeat the defending champion Mayar Sherif of Egypt 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 in a tight semi-final clash that lasted for more than four hours at the Borteyman Sports Complex on .

He journey to the podium was made easier after she earned a first-round bye and then overpowered Naomi Chileshe of Zambia 6-3, 6-1, won 6-3, 6-3 against Egyptian Merna Refaat, defeated Morocco's Aya El Aouni 6-4, 6-4, and beat Sherif 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, in that order.

Her earned Kenya’s fifth gold (21st medal ovarall) at the quadrennial event in Accra folllowing gold earlier won by track stars Aron Cheminingwa (800 metres), Emily Ngii (women’s 20 kilometres walk), Beatrice Chepkoech (women’s 3,000m steeplechase) and Mary Moraa (women’s 400m).

Okutoyi, a student of Auburn University and two-time Kenya Open champion, said she wouldnow turn attention to the women's doubles final where she joins forces with Cynthia Cheruto against Merna Refaat and Sandra Samir of Egypt.