Celebration as triumphant secondary school teams receive trophies

rincipal Secretary Ministry of Education Dr Richard Belio Kipsang (holding the National flag) poses with sponsors and team captains of schools that represented Kenya in the East Africa Secondary School games in Lira, Uganda at the Kenya Curriculum Development Centre, yesterday. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/ STANDARD]

By Elizabeth Mburugu

Triumphant secondary schools teams during the Brookside East African Secondary Schools games (EASSSA) in Lira, Uganda, received their trophies in a colourful ceremony held at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

Kenya won the overall trophy after winning 24 medals 12 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze, having put up their best performance since the inception of the EASSSA games.

“This was our best performance and I congratulate all the all participants for a spectacular performance,” Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) secretary David Ngugi said.

Ngugi added that the regional games will foster unity in the region, being the biggest sporting event in the region for the youth.

Kenya, who presented 33 teams at the regional secondary schools games, beat hosts Uganda who had 73 teams in the competition.

The teams that won gold were Kakamega Boys (rugby), Tartar ( football).

Tartar football girls’ team realised their dream after they beat Solidarity of Rwanda 5-4 on post-match penalties after a barren draw in normal time to lift the title at the East African Secondary School Championships at Lango College in Lira.

Others winners are Friends School Kamusinga (hockey), Sinyolo Girls (hockey) Alliance Girls and Malezi School (lawn tennis and athletics), Moi Girls Kamusinga (handball), Kwanthanze Girls and Malava Boys (volleyball), Shimba Hills and Upperhill (basketball).

Received Flag

Principal Secretary Ministry of Education Science and Technology Bellio Kipsang received the flag and handed the trophies to the winning schools on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary Professor Jacob Kaimenyi.

Kipsang praised the teams for the good fight they put up in Uganda and affirmed the Government’s commitment to sports development and nurturing of sports talent.

development of sports

He added that school games were very important as most successful sports personalities in the country were discovered during the games.

“The Government is committed to the growth and development of sports in the country, our sportsmen and women are the best exports Kenya has to offer the world,” he said.

He also thanked Brookside for sponsoring sports, especially school games not only in the country but in the East African region.

He thanked Airtel for sponsoring the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association games and Unicef for sponsoring National Youth Talent Centres of Excellence.

Brookside Marketing Manager Peter Wesonga affirmed that the company will fully support sports in the country and help develop and nurture sports talent among other projects they run.

He also said that the best boys in football have joined Gor Mahia and Thika United clubs and are sponsored by Brookeside.