KING HAILE TO NAME SOYA WINNER: Who will emerge Kenya’s Sports Personality of the Year tonight? Over to you Gebreselassie

Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie crosses the finish line at the end of the Morrisons Great Manchester Run. During an interview afterwards he announced his retirement

The 13th edition of Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) takes centre-stage tonight at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

The gala will be graced by long-distance running legend and Ethiopian Athletics Federation President Haile Gebrselassie, who is expected to arrive this morning to preside over the ceremony.

Soya patron Paul Tergat, the man who together with Gebreselassie served up one of the fiercest rivalries of all time on track and later in Marathon, thanked his long-time friend for accepting his request to be the guest of honour.

"I believe his (Haile Gebrselassie) presence will inspire many upcoming sportsmen and women to work extra hard to achieve their desires in whatever discipline they are in.
"It's a great honour that he will be gracing the event. He has come to Kenya on several occasions, but this time round he comes as a leader and I hope that more sportsmen will begin taking up leadership roles," said Tergat.
Tergat added: "Sports unify people and as Kenyans, we should espouse this avenue to promote oneness in diversity. Support for an initiative such as this not only inspires greatness but propels budding sports' athletes towards attaining their dream. We will continue to invest in sports and we are glad to be partnering with 11 corporates in hosting this great occasion."
Voting process for the event closed last week with panellists heading to a secluded place to vote on winners.
Owing to the great performance by most federations last year including Rugby Sevens team, which won the Main Cup of the IRB series and the Harambee Starlets, who debited at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, it will not be a surprise if some categories go down to the wire.
During the voting process, Starlets had temporarily taken the lead in the race for the Best Team Award, which is also being contested by 19-time women's hockey league champions Telkom Orange. The side successfully defended their continental title at the weekend.
Other teams in the category include the Nairobi Water handball team, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women's basketball team, national Roll Ball team and the national U-23 volleyball team.
Another cut-throat category is the race for the Most Promising sportsperson.
At one point steeplechase ace Amos Kirui, who bagged 3000m at the 2016 World Junior Championship in Bydgoszcz, Poland in a time of 8:20.43, shocking pre-race favourite Getnet Wale of Ethiopia, was leading in online voting.
Kirui will fight it off with 800m upstart Bett Kipyegon, Motosport's Jet TuKunen, footballer Joseph Okumu and Ryan Randiek of Tennis.
Other exciting contests tonight include the Overall Sports Personality of the Year that has a Sh1 million prize tag, Sportsman of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year.