Okutoyi set sights on Paris after Africa games triumph

Angella Okutoyi who is a 2022 Wimbledon girls’ doubles champion, continued to make history for her country by claiming the singles gold medal at the African Games in Accra, Ghana this week.

The 20-year-old Kenya defeated Egypt’s Lamis Alhussein Abdel Aziz 6-4, 6-2 in the final to back up a career-best win over Alhussein Abdel Aziz’s compatriot, No.1 seed Mayar Sherif, in the semifinals. Okutoyi had trailed No.70-ranked Sherif by a set and 5-2, but battled back to triumph 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) in 4 hours and 27 minutes.

The result paved a potential path to competing at this summer’s Paris Olympic Games for Okutoyi. Currently ranked No.532, she will be able to claim an ITF place in the singles main draw via continental qualification provided her ranking is inside the Top 400 on the cut-off date of June 10.

Okutoyi, who is currently a sophomore at Auburn University, has confirmed that she will add professional tournaments to her schedule in a bid to qualify.

“I feel happy that I have qualified… but not qualified yet because my ranking isn’t there yet,” she told the ITF. “As of now I’m trying to see if I can play more [ITF] tournaments to up-and-up my ranking to see myself into the Olympics.”

The first Kenyan woman to win in history an ITF singles title, Okutoyi’s accomplishments continue a trailblazing junior career. In 2022, she became the first girl from her country to win a junior Grand Slam match at the Australian Open, where she reached the third round. She became the first Kenyan Wimbledon champion in the same year after partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp to the girls’ doubles title.

Okutoyi, who also won the silver medal in the African Games doubles event alongside Cynthia Wanjala, is backing herself all the way to seal an Olympic milestone. The trailblazing talent posted her podium moment on Instagram with the caption: “SEE YOU IN PARIS.”