Angella Okutoyi: Kenya's tennis star devastated as Olympic appeal denied

Kenyan tennis sensation Angella Okutoyi has expressed her disappointment at missing out on a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after failing to qualify by the required ranking.

Tennis Kenya had filed an appeal on Okutoyi’s behalf arguing that the young star was unfairly disadvantaged by being granted only two months to achieve the necessary ranking, rather than the standard eight months.

Angella Okutoyi is set to learn whether she will feature at Paris Olympics following an appeal by Tennis Kenya early this month.

The appeal, however, was not successful, leaving Okutoyi heartbroken but determined.

Despite Tennis Kenya’s efforts to secure her a place at the prestigious tournament, Okutoyi, currently ranked 495th in the world, fell short of the top 400 mark needed for Olympic qualification by June 10.

The truncated qualification period stemmed from the postponement of the African Games, originally set for 2023 but pushed back to March 2024 which left Okutoyi with a significantly reduced window to improve her ranking.

Discover how Angella Okutoyi fights for her Olympic dream despite ranking hurdles, inspiring many with her tenacity and passion for tennis

In a heartfelt statement on X (formerly Twitter), Okutoyi, a three-time Kenya Open champion, conveyed her mixed emotions about the situation.

«Writing this with mixed emotions, but first, I thank God for always being here with me. It’s been tough even to reach where I am now, and one of my many ultimate goals was to see myself playing at the OLYMPICS. I had my eyes set on this one after missing out on Tokyo!» she wrote.

Okutoyi expressed her deep desire to represent Kenya at the highest level and to change the narrative of tennis in Kenya and Africa.

«I’ve always wanted and dreamt of representing Kenya at the highest level in tennis and changing the narrative of tennis in Kenya and Africa as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t meet the 400 mark for the qualification, but my ranking stands at 495. My prayer is that in the near future, a continental win should be a direct ticket because it’s not easy playing the best of your continent, and considering Africa, we don’t have many opportunities,» she added.

Kenya’s tennis ace Angella Okutoyi will have to wait pensively to known her Olympics fate following an appeal lodged by Tennis Kenya after she failed to gain enough ranking points.

In her statement, Okutoyi also took the opportunity to thank those who have supported her throughout her journey.

«I want to express my gratitude to my federation, @tennis_kenya, for not giving up on me and trying all possible ways to see me in Paris. To those who stood by me—my family, my coach @francisrogoi, @AuburnWTennis, fans, and those who I haven’t mentioned—thank you. This one hurts, but I’m going to stay strong and look forward to greater things that I have faith are waiting for me. I will work hard to see myself at the next Olympics. I was close this time, but it felt far!» she noted.

Tennis Kenya’s appeal highlighted the disadvantage Okutoyi faced with the shortened qualification period.

The federation contended that she deserved more time to achieve the ranking required, particularly given the challenges and limited opportunities available for African tennis players.

Looking ahead, Okutoyi is shifting her focus to upcoming competitions, starting with her next target in Morocco.

«Now, I will switch my focus to Morocco, and I’m hungrier than ever. They say, ‘the comeback is always greater than the setbacks.’ #AlignIt,» she concluded.