NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28 – The judging panel has whittled down the three schools’ categories from the initial long-list of 11 nominees each to five shortlisted, as the D-day for this year’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) closes in.
The Awards are scheduled for this Friday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
In the girls’ school team of the year category, the contest has been whittled down to Butere Girls, Kesogon, St Joseph’s Kitale, Kwanthanze and Nyamira Girls.
The red commandos of Butere made a good account of themselves edging out former
national and East Africa champions Wiyeta 1-0 to snatch the national women’s football trophy.
Kesogon Secondary School showed that they were no pushovers when they outclassed
Africa schools’ champions Kwanthanze 3-1 to snatch national bragging rights in girls’ volleyball. They achieved this feat on their second appearance having settled for silver in 2022.
Despite their defeat at the national level, Kwanthanze proved that they are indeed a cut above the rest when they clinched the East African title, laying revenge on Kesogon to beat them in a five-set thriller in Huye, Rwanda.
They doubled up their effort at the Africa Schools Championship in Rabat, Morocco, where they clinched the crown after making light work of hosts Lycee Bin Anzarane dismissing them in straight sets of 25-15, 25-10 and 25-16.
Meanwhile, Nyamira Girls ended a 32-year wait for a national trophy when they clinched the girls’ hockey title, and topped that up with the East African title.
St Joseph’s Girls High School Kitale completes the top five having excelled in handball, dethroning former East Africa title holders Moi Girls Kamusinga.
In the boys category, national and East Africa rugby 7s champions Koyonzo Secondary,
East Africa volleyball champions Namwela, national football winners St Anthony’s Boys High
School Kitale, Butula Boys’ rugby 15s team and Onjiko’s 3×3 basketball team are the last five standing.
Kwanthanze volleyball coach Justine Kigwari, Namwela’s Isaac Muresia, Nyamira’s
Stephen Kigai, Peter Mayoyo of St Anthony’s and Koyonzo’s Eliud Okwemba will battle
it out for the School Coach of the Year accolade.
Top five shortlist
Girls School Team of the Year
Butere Girls (Football)
Kesogon (Volleyball)
St Joseph’s Kitale (Handball)
Kwanzanthe (Volleyball)
Nyamira Girls (Hockey)
Boys School Team of the Year
Namwela (Volleyball)
Koyonzo (Rugby 7S)
Onjiko (Basketball 3X3)
St Anthony’s Kitale (Football)
Butula (Rugby 15s)
Schools Coach of the Year
Justin Kigwari (Kwanzanthe)
Peter Mayoyo (St Anthony’s)
Stephen Kigai (Nyamira Girls)
Isaac Muresia (Namwela)
Eliud Okwemba (Koyonzo)
