Six tacticians eye Coach of the Year top honours at Soya gala

KPA coaches Anthony Ojukwu (left) and Sammy Kiki during the KBF league play-offs at Nyayo Gymnasium last year. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Two rugby coaches and two basketball coaches are in the list of tacticians who are hoping to be named the Coach of the Year during the Sports Personality of the Year (Soya) gala later this month.

KCB volleyball coach Japheth Munala and para coach David Waore will however hope that they will catch the eye of the Soya judges and overcome the rugby dominance in the list of six..

The Soya gala returns to Nairobi after the last events were held in Mombasa County, Naivasha in Nakuru County and Kakamega County.

Kenya Lionesses rugby team coach Dennis Mwanja; Kenya Port Authority (KPA) men's basketball team coach Sammy Kiki, KPA women's basketball team coach Anthony Ojukwu, Menengai Oilers Rugby Club coach Gibson Weru will battle against Munala and Waore.

Mwanja led the Kenya Lionesses national women's sevens team closer to qualifying for the 2022-2023 Women's World Rugby Sevens Series.

The Lionesses claimed victories over China (17-15), South Africa (5-31), hosts Chile (5-15), thrashed Argentina 36-0 in the quarter-finals before losing to eventual winners Japan 22-15 and to China 31-5 in the battle for third place.

On his part, Kiki guided the KPA men's basketball team to reclaim the national title after they blew away champions Ulinzi 80-61 in Game Five to take the final Series 3-2.

Ulinzi won Game One 68-66 before the Dockers hit back 69-58 to level in Mombasa before Game Three, Four and Five moved to Nairobi. Dockers also won Game Three 71-50 to go 2-1 up before the Soldiers levelled the series 2-2 with a 57-48 victory, forcing the final Game Five clash.

Ojukwu led the KPA women's basketball team to a win the women's basketball league title after seeing off rivals Equity Hawks 70-64 in game 4 to their 15th title. Ojukwu also guided the team in qualifying for the 2022 FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Maputo, Mozambique in December.

Munala led KCB women volleyball team to victory at the Africa Clubs championships in Tunisia in June, 2022. Munala's charges stunned record champions Al Ahly of Egypt 3-1 in the final to lift the trophy. Munala is also part of the Malkia Strikers technical bench.

Waore handled para powerlifter Hellen Wawira at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where she handed Kenya bronze in women's lightweight.

Wawira collected 98.5 points for third place. It was Kenya's only medal outside athletics at the Commonwealth Games.

Waore also helped Wawira and Gabriel Magu win gold and silver respectively at the St. Louis World Para Powerlifting Championships in the USA.

Wawira attributes her success to coach Waore who has been working tirelessly with her since she got into para powerlifting with other persons living with disabilitiy. Weru led Menengai Oilers to the 2022 National Sevens Series victory, the first ever title besides leading the team to their first Kenya Cup rugby league final before losing to Kabras Sugar 34-28 in the final.

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