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Malkia Strikers and Kenya Prisons blocker Edith Wisa is the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya/StarTimes Player of the Month for October.
Wisa received the award at the club’s training base at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi, yesterday.
An elated Wisa, whose star keeps shining despite her short stint in the local and international volleyball scene, said the award inspires her as she prepares for the World Championships in Japan next year.
“This is my first ever big award, honestly. I never expected this. I now believe that in whatever you do, kindly do it to your best. You never know who is watching,” she said.
Wisa was grateful to her club, national team coaches and technical bench for training her into an international player.
“I cannot forget my club and national team mates too. They played roles to this achievement and their input cannot go unmentioned.”
Wisa won the award following her outstanding performance during the CAVB Africa Nations Championship cum World Championships qualifiers held in Yaoundé, Cameroon in October.
Apart from leading Kenya to qualify for the global showpiece scheduled for September in Japan, Wisa was voted the best blocker at the competition where Kenya finished second behind hosts Cameroon.
The 23-year-old overcame stiff competition from other sportsmen and women to bag the award.
Other players who were in contention included Malkia Striker skipper Mercy Moim, who was voted best attacker at the Africa Championships in Cameroon and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) women’s basketball team guard Natalie Akinyi, who was named Most Valuable Player and Best Point Guard as she led KPA to successfully defend the FIBA Africa Zone V Championships title at the Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala, Uganda.
Other contenders were Joyceline Jepkosgei, who broke her sixth world record in 2017 after she won a women’s half marathon, clocking 1 hour 4 minutes 51 seconds in Valencia, Spain as well as the Kabras Sugar duo of Brian Tanga and Philip Wokorach who helped their team to win the National Rugby Sevens Series Circuit title.
Wisa’s efforts were rewarded by the award organisers, SJAK and sponsors StarTimes who presented her with a trophy, a 42-inch StarTimes digital television set and Sh100,000 cash.
Wisa is the fourth recipient to win the monthly award after Deaflympics and 10,000m world record holder Simon Kibai Cherono, women’s world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and Kenya Lionesses winger Janet Okello.
While congratulating Wisa for the feat, StarTimes Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Japheth Akhulia said: “Wisa has been outstanding in her exploits and for sure she deserves this special recognition by us.”
SJAK’s President Chris Mbaisi advised Wisa to stay focused.
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