By BEN AHENDA
The patience of Ugandan Michael Kawooya finally paid dividends when he emerged the overall winner of the annual KenGen-sponsored Nakuru International Open Squash Championships at the Rift Valley Sports Club over the weekend.
Nairobi-based defending champion, Zambian Modecci Kabamba failed to defend the title in a competition attended by players from Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.
However, Kawooya, who took home prize money of Sh25,000, said he had taken his time to train and winning the title did not come as a surprise to him.
“I had prepared for the duel against the Zambian and it would have been a repeat of last year’s finals when I stretched him (Kabamba) to the final limit before he released a killer shot that nailed me. This time I was ready for him and maybe he skipped it because he did not want to be humiliated,” he told FeverPitch after collecting the prize money from KenGen acting Corporate Communications Manager Grace Chepkwony.
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Others present at the awards ceremony were Kenya Squash Rackets Association Chairman David Ngunjiri, Secretary General Leon Keya and Rift Valley Sports Club Captain Enos Muguku.
Kawooya defeated team-mate Ian Ruhunya 3-0 (11-4, 11-9 and 20-18) in a tough contest which the Ugandan coach Derek Banyu attributed to the growing standards of squash in their country.
“Well, I’ll come back for the same feat next year, God willing,” he said during the competition sponsored to the tune of Sh400,000.
In the semi-finals, Kawooya smashed compatriot Brian Okumu 3-1, while Ruhunya nailed Leon Keya of Kenya.
Rukunya pocketed Sh14,000, Keya (Leon) Sh9,500 and Okumu (Brian) Sh9,500.
All the men’s quarter finalists also received cash prizes.
Beatrice Musyoka defeated fancied Florence Bidali of Rift Valley Sports Club(RVSC) 3-2 in a tough contest that Musyoka admitted was strenuous despite winning.
“Florence is a tough player and this can be attributed to the limits she managed to stretch me to before the final set,” she told FeverPitch.
Musyoka walked home Sh 11,000 richer, while Bidali netted Sh8,000.
In the semis, Musyoka dismissed Maureen Macharia of Parklands 3-0, while Bidali also squeezed out Elizabeth Mulo of Parklands 2-0. Elizabeth Mulwa was the play-offs winner. In the mixed Plate finals, Moses Lepiren of Nakuru defeated team-mate David Ngugi 3-0 to emerge the winner.
On his way up, Lepiren beat Riz Khan in the semis, while Ngugi dismissed Francis Kiarie 3-2.
