No time to breathe as Kenyans seek glory at first world games

Kenya’s Samantha Hawala of Loreto Convent at St Constantine Girls during the 18th edition of East Africa Secondary Schools Games in Arusha, Tanzania on Sunday, Aug 18, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

For years, Kenyan teams have calling the shots at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games.

In fact, it had been a routine victory for the Kenyan lads at the regional championships. Since the formation of the games in 2002, victory for Kenyan teams was assured, almost.

But all that came to an abrupt end in this year’s championships in Arusha, Tanzania. Uganda dethroned Kenya as overall champions.

Even so, Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Secretary General David Ngugi is confident 2020 will be a better year as Kenya seeks to take another milestone and compete at the global scene.

Kenya, who joined the International Schools Sports Federation last year, will be looking to participate in the world event for secondary schools set for October in Jinjiang, China.  

Next year’s participants will have everything to play for and stakes will be high for those who make it to the East Africa Games, which will be held in Kenya.

“We are excited as we gear up for next year’s events because we are looking to scale the heights and compete globally in addition to reclaiming the East Africa overall title,” Ngugi said.

He added that losing the regional gong was a wake-up call for coaches as well as students.

Kenya’s dominance was shaken to the core when Uganda bagged the girls’ hockey title for the first time since the introduction of the sport in the games in 2008.

Kakungulu Memorial edged out national champions St Cecilia Misikhu 2-1 to bag the historical trophy for Uganda.

Kenya also relinquished girls’ football title as Itigo, national champions Nyakach, and Archbishop Njenga finished third, fourth and sixth respectively with Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim snatching the bragging rights.

Kenyans were reduced to second best after Uganda emerged tops with 27 medals, 11 gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals.

Kenya equaled Uganda’s tally of 27 medals, but with 10 gold medals, they had to settle for the second spot.

Rwanda finished third with 10 medals while hosts Tanzania, Zanzibar and Malawi, who featured in the games for the first time, finished fourth, fifth and sixth in that order.

Kenya dominated in both the longer and shorter versions of rugby but fell short thus allowing Namilyango College and Jinja Secondary School of Uganda to spoil the party by taking bronze and denying Kenya a clean sweep.

Giants Kakamega High School dominated the rugby 15s contest to reclaim the title as well as complete a double having bagged the national trophy in style after winning all their round-robin matches.

Dagoretti High School finished second while Upper Hill and Laiser Hill won gold and silver in rugby 7s.

Friends School Kamusinga (boys’ hockey), Moi Girls Kamusinga (handball) and Kwanthanze (girls volleyball) were also crowned regional champions.

Led by St Joseph’s Boys Kitale, Kenya won it’s maiden table tennis trophy.

The year began on a high for KSSSA as they won the prestigious Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) award for the 2018 best sports federation.

The national Term One games in Mombasa were preamble of what would be expected in 2019 as Buruburu Girls stunned Kaya Tiwi 43-41 to win girls’ basketball title and end an 18-year trophy drought.

Upper Hill then bagged their first rugby 7s title, dethroning Laiser Hill, who dominated boys’ basketball, winning their third title in a row and eighth overall.

St Joseph’s Kirandich shocked Moi Girls Kamusinga 17-13 to win the national title before settling for silver in the Arusha games.

St Anthony’s Kitale and Misikhu won boys and girls hockey titles whereas debutants Mbooni Boys made a good account of themselves reaching the handball final before falling to experienced St Luke’s Kimilili 21-35.

Home of champions Rift Valley dominated athletics as well as other disciplines.

In July, Kisumu hosted the national Term Two games and as usual, the event lived up to its billing with volleyball, netball, football, tennis, badminton and table tennis talents on display.

Kwanthanze and Kaya Tiwi retained girls’ volleyball and netball titles respectively, while St Anthony’s Kitale (under-19 football), Nyakach, Serani Boys (under-16 football), Wiyeta Girls (under-16 football) and Mogonga PAG boys volleyball were also crowned.

Just like Mbooni Boys in Handball, Boys Town Secondary School from Garissa was the Term Two games surprise package as they downed their opponents to reach the semi-finals, a first for a school from the North Eastern region.

The last event on the 2019 KSSSA calendar was the under 16 Copa Coca-Cola Cup, which Kenya hosted at the M-pesa Foundation Academy, Thika from December 2-5.

Tanzania defeated Zimbabwe 6-2 in the final, while Kenya’s representatives Serani finished fourth after losing to Zambia 2-1 in third place play-off.

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