KENYANS REIGN SUPREME: Bumper harvest for Kenya schools as East Africa games end

Kakamega High School of Kenya celebrates winning the East Africa Secondary School rugby trophy at Kipchoge Stadium on September 3. PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO

Hosts Kenya retained the overall Brookside East Africa Secondary Schools games title as curtains fell on the annual event that brings together students from the East African region.

Kenya won a total of 31 medals - 15 gold, seven silver and nine bronze -to emerge tops while Uganda was placed second with 22 in the championships that ended in Eldoret on Saturday.

Rwanda completed the podium positions with 12 medals whereas Burundi was fourth with four. Tanzania, represented by Alliance School in boys and girls football, finished fifth without a medal.

The homeboys and girls were unmatched in their dominance of the games. It was jubilation at the Kip Keino Stadium as Kenyans burst into song and dance. There were also tears of joy as debutantes Barding High School upset the form book to win the boys football title after 13 years of waiting.

It was a classic case of David and Goliath as Barding did what their predecessors had failed to do for over a decade in boys football as they stunned the most successful school in the history of the East Africa school games, St Mary’s Kitende of Uganda, to be crowned champions.

With 11 trophies in their cabinet and having dominated the games for 11 years in a row, the Ugandans thought they had it again but James Ochieng’s lone goal was enough to give Barding the gong.

St John’s Kaloleni were not lucky as they were forced to play second fiddle to Rwanda’s GS Remera after going down 5-6 in post-match penalties in girls’ football.

Barding’s John Oginga and Mwanahalima Adams of St John’s Kaloleni scooped the boys and girls Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.

Kenya also reclaimed the volleyball, handball and girls basketball titles. National queens AIC Kosirai finally got it right after many years of failed attempts.

The Kenyan girls dominated volleyball as regional newcomers Soweto Academy took the silver while seven-time regional champions Lugulu beat last year’s champions GS Indagaburezi of Rwanda to take bronze.

Malava recaptured the boys' diadem with a 3-0 win over Rwanda’s Apapen. Elphas Makuto of Malava was the boys MVP.

Newcomers Kaya Tiwi reclaimed the girls' basketball title that Shimba Hills had relinquished to St Mary’s Kitende. The home girls beat Burundi’s Lycee du Lac Tanganyika 54-51 to ascend the throne.

Moi Girls Kamusinga and St Luke’s Kimilili salvaged the girls and boys handball titles. Kimilili’s Issac Kololi and Kamusinga’s Jacinta Leli were named the MVPs.

Kenyans also stamped their authority in hockey and rugby, with Sinyolo Girls winning their fourth consecutive regional title. Debutantes Tigoi took the silver and former champions Kerugoya settled for bronze. Friends School Kamusinga repossessed their boys’ trophy, forcing last year’s winners St Anthony’s to second place while Uganda’s St Charles Lwanga Kasasa took the bronze.

Kakamega captain Wiseman Aganya, who led hid side to the rugby 15s title unbeaten, was the MVP. St Peter’s Mumias won the rugby sevens crown.

Kenya also retained titles in swimming (girls and boys) and girls' tennis, with Judy Nkatha being voted the MVP for the third year in a row.