TOKYO, Japan, Jul 22 – Kenya’s sole representative in Taekwondo at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Faith Ogallo will launch her campaign against 2012 Olympics gold medallist Mandic Millca of Serbia on Tuesday, July 27 at the Makuhari Messe Hall.
Ogallo, who will be competing in her major competition for the first time, faces the Serbian who has wealth of experience, having competed in the Rio Olympics in 2016 where she reached the quarter finals.
The 29-year-old Serbian, who is a graduate of Media Studies from the University of Belgrade, has also competed in several World Championships, winning gold in 2017 as well as Grand Prix, clinching gold in 2014.
The two will battle it out in the +67 kg and for Ogallo, who finished 2nd at the African Games that served as Tokyo Olympics Qualifiers as well, is however not scared of her opponent, noting that she has trained enough and is ready for the battle.
“Since I arrived in Tokyo, I have two sessions, in the morning and evening, training has been good where we have been going through various techniques, mostly blocking, checking on the sensors using electronic system,” Ogallo told Capital Sport here in Tokyo.
Responding on the draw that saw the teams reduced to one person less, down from 16 to 15 after one athlete tested positive for COVID-19, Ogallo said she has done research about her opponent and will go into the fight with confidence.
“The draw is okay, initially I was to face a Chinese who is the World Number one but the draw had to be reshuffled after one athlete tested positive for COVID-19 so she could not travel, but now I will face World Number 2,” Ogallo said.
“She is a good opponent with good technique using mostly front leg, we have done a thorough research online with my coach, I’m consulting with other coaches in Kenya to plan how I will counter attack those techniques of my opponent,”
She added, “I have trained enough and I am ready to face the opponent without focusing on the challenges, I will not focus on her strength but on mine and do my very best because I have trained well.”
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Tokyo, Japan-
