Mongeli named SJAK's best player for October

University student Sasha Mongeli is the StarTimes/SJAK sports personality of the month for October 2018.

Mongeli beat Equity Hawks player Belinda Okoth, tennis sensation Angela Okuyoti and Abraham Kiptum for the accolade.

The 21-year-old student at Technical University of Kenya attained the highest Women Fide Master (WFM) title during the World Chess Olympiad held in Batumi, Georgia between September 28-October 6.

It was her debut at the biennial event and she achieved the feat with two rounds to spare.

Her score of eight wins out of nine games was one of the best in the Olympiads and the highest percentage score by a Kenyan in the Olympiad’s history.

Her exploits saw her win a 42-inch digital television courtesy of StarTimes as well as Sh100,000 and a trophy.

And the accolades left the third-year Actuarial Science student quite surprised.

“I honestly never though that something like this would happen to me. Chess is not a very popular sport like football, rugby or event athletics, but you have shown that indeed we matter,” she said.

“This award will inspire more chess players to continue working hard because now it is evident that our efforts are not going unnoticed,” she added. Mongeli will now turn her attention to next weekend’s season ending Kenya National Chess Championship.

“Not many people consider chess as a sport and so to award someone from this field is quite remarkable and unique. This award is all about going beyond the norm and unearthing those that have been forgotten,” said StarTimes Director of Marketing and PR Japheth Akhulia.

SJAK chairman, Chris Mbaisi, said the association ventured into the unique monthly awards to give non-football players a chance to be recognized.

“We are happy that these awards are already inspiring players to work hard to accomplish their aim,” Mbaisi noted.
TUK’s vice chancellor Francis Aduol congratulated Mongeli for making the college and the country proud.