Nyamira keen to make a memorable East Africa debut

Nyamira Girls' captain Trizer Sungu (left) and Mildred Awuor of Ambassador Pamela Girls. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Debutants Nyamira Girls will not be intimidated by their opponents as they seek to win the hockey title in this year’s East Africa Secondary Schools games that begin on Friday in Arusha, Tanzania.

The national hockey bronze medallists will also be out to lift the trophy that was won by their Nyanza Region compatriots Sinyolo Girls for five successive years.

A confident Nyamira coach Stephen Kigai said his charges are equal to the task and ready to conquer East Africa.

“It has taken us years of hard work to finally secure our East Africa debut. We have worked on all aspects of the game as we improved on areas we thought we were weak and I think my girls are ready for the regional challenge,” Kigai said.

He added that having made it to the national games for the second year in a row, his girls gained invaluable exposure that will help them excel in Arusha.

“Until last year, we were always losing in Nyanza final to Sinyolo. Our endless efforts paid off last year, but we did not qualify for the East Africa games after finishing fourth. We have been improving gradually and I believe we will get our desired outcome,” said Kigai.

Kigai will rely on captain Beryl Okumu and Janet Otieno to score goals while Pamela Atieno and Fatuma Asman will be tasked with ensuring goalkeeper Rita Opiti is not exposed.

Kigai added that although Kenyan teams are a major threat to their ambitions, they will not underrate the Ugandans, who have improved over the years.

Nyamira are in Group A alongside national champions St Cecilia Misikhu.

[Elizabeth Mburugu]

Ugandan duo of Bweranyange and Old Kampala, who are regulars in these games, and Tanzania’s Lindi Secondary School, will all battle for a place in the semis as this year’s contest takes a different format of play away from the regular round-robin.

National finalists St John’s Kaloleni, who return to the nationals after a four-year absence, are in Group B that also has 2018 bronze medallists Kakungulu Memorial and St Mary’s Namagunga from Uganda as well as Tanzania’s Juhudi.