SH1M FOR SOYA WINNER: Mobile phone firm announces Sh16 million sponsorship for annual awards

Beijing Javelin Gold winner Julius Yego, left flanked by comedian Eric Omondi receive his Spotsman of the year trophy from Director Consumer Business Safaricom during the Sports Personality of the Year Award 2015 at KICC on friday, Jan 15, 2016. PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD

This year’s Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya) overall winner will receive Sh1 million up from last year’s Sh150,000.

The annual gala which is in its 13th edition will fete sports persons who excelled in various disciplines during the awards gala on January 20.

Telcom firm Safaricom yesterday announced a Sh16 million sponsorship for this year’s event whose theme is “Inspiring Greatness”.

Like it has been the norm over the years, Soya will award excellence in individual sportsmen and women as well as coaches, federations, persons with special needs as well as community heroes.

Nominees will battle it out for prizes in 16 categories.

Speaking at the official launch yesterday, Joseph Ogutu, Safaricom’s Director of Strategy and Innovation said that their commitment to sports is still robust.

“We are very proud to be associated with Soya and what they have done over the years.

Despite obvious challenges in the management of sports our commitment remains strong through our investments in the Safaricom Athletics Series and the various partnerships with stakeholders in the sports sector,” Ogutu said.

“This year will go down in Kenya’s sporting history as one of the most successful following the country’s exploits at the Rio Olympics and the Sevens rugby conquest in Singapore among others.

“This has been an outstanding year for Kenyan sportsmen and women and we are glad that their hard work will be rewarded at a ceremony befitting their achievements,” Ogutu said.

Soya founder and chairman Paul Tergat said that 2016 was a rough year that he would never wish to go through as an athlete. “I am delighted our athletes were able to participate at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“This was a very tough year that I wouldn’t wish to go through as a sportsman. They beat all odds and were outstanding everywhere they went including the youth events,” Tergat said.

Tergat lauded Safaricom for the support through sponsorship since 2003 that has made the event bigger and better.

“Safaricom has been our greatest partner through this journey and I thank them because they have helped us show gratitude to our achieving athletes as well as encourage young people to train and become professional athletes which has enabled homegrown talent.”

Ethiopian athletics great Haile Gebrselassie will be the celebrity guest at this year’s event.

The event is co-sponsored by Supersport/Multichoice, Communications Authority, Kenya Pipeline Company, NHIF, NSSF, Kenya Tourism Board and the Lotto Foundation.