Eleven school boys and girls have been nominated for the ‘Most Outstanding Player of the Year’ ahead of the 2017 edition of the Safaricom SOYA Awards.
The six boys and five girls battling for the top honours shone in the 2017 season of School Games but only the best in each gender stand the chance to take home the gong.
They are Albert Njogu, Petty Andanda (lawn tennis), Clinton Kioko (rugby), Zablon Ekisa (table tennis), Harmony Wamalwa (rugby) and Emmanuel Ndonga (swimming). Njogu of Shadrack Kimalel Secondary School won the national lawn tennis title and teamed up with Petty Andanda to win maiden doubles title for Kenya at the East Africa Games. He has represented Kenya at the ITF and CAT events, and won the 2016 Eastern Africa Junior Circuit boys under 16 title. Njogu has been pitted Andanda who was also impressive. He won both the singles and doubles at East Africa Games titles unbeaten.
Laiser Hill rugby 15s’ player Kioko will be the other candidate to watch. He was influential in his team’s campaign both at the national and East Africa games. Kioko was voted the Most Valuable Player at the regional games and his prowess in the sport also earned him a place in the national U-19 team. St. Joseph’s Boys’ Kitale’s Ekisa is also in the mix having won the national boys’ table tennis title. He also brought home bronze from the East Africa Games. Ekisa was the most valuable player at nationals.
Swimmer Emmanuel Ndonga led Nairobi region to win the overall national boys title with 60 points. He set a new boys’ 200m individual medley record of 2:23.51, quashing his own record of 2:36.31 set in 2015. Muhuri Muchiri rugby sevens’ fly half Wamalwa completes the list of boys’ nominees.
He was the force behind Muhuri Muchiri rugby 7s success at the East Africa games. Wamalwa captained his side, leading them to the memorable victory on their debut at the regional games. He was voter the MVP at the East Africa Games.
Girls nominees include —Alice Owiti (hockey), Faith Nyabera (lawn tennis), Hadassah Gichovi (swimming), Sharon Jepchumba (tennis) and Gloria Mulei (triple jump), Awiti was the engine of East Africa five-time hockey champions Sinyolo in their campaign to the title. The prolific striker was voted the MVP at the East Africa games.
Nyabera, a student at Olympic Mixed, won lawn tennis singles silver medal at the East Africa games, after winning all the titles unbeaten from the sub county level to the nationals. She also claimed the regional girls doubles title to ensure that Kenya retains the overall girls lawn tennis title.
Hadassah Gichovi of Loreto Convent swam her way to new East Africa records. For the second year running, the 15-year- old emerged the best swimmer with 60 and 21 points at the KSSSA and FEASSSA competitions respectively. Gichovi’s efforts helped Kenya claim the pole position in the pool in Gulu.
Jepchumba, Kwanthanze Girls volleyball team setter, was exceptional right from the sub-county to the East Africa games. She took home the MVP award both at the national and East Africa games. Another Kwanthanze stalwart Mulei won triple jump national title with 11.84m and finished second to Immaculate Akoth in long jump after posting 5.26m. At the East Africa Games, she claimed both trophies This year's awards once again promises to be glamorous as the organizers welcome more partners such as the CA and NSSF.
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