How Alexina is flying Ambani’s name with pride

President Uhuru Kenyatta greet handballer Alexina Ambani during ground breaking ceremony for Ulinzi Sports complex and Inauguration of Defence Forces wellness centre at Langata Barracks on October 28, 2020. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard]

Ulinzi handball team captain says she doesn’t regret switching from football, where her brothers made a name.

It is not always easy for athletes to follow in their parents or siblings’ footsteps.

But national handball team player and Ulinzi Sharks captain Alexina Ambani appears to have beaten the odds to keep the talented Ambani’s sporting family’s name alive.

The mother of two has followed in her brothers, Fred and Boniface’s strides in the world of sports, and even gone out of her way to curve a niche of her own.

Unlike Fred and Boniface, who had a glittering career in football, the game their father played, Alexina took a different path in handball.

Fred and Boniface were a household in Kenyan football in the late 90s where they featured for the national team and won several titles with different clubs locally and abroad.

But it’s during their time at AFC Leopards that they were brilliantly nicknamed ‘The deadly duo’ due to their impressive exploits that helped Ingwe lift what was their last Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title in 1998.

Fred is the current Wazito FC head coach, while Boniface is the proprietor of Bochend Sports Company; a company that deals in sports merchandise.

However, it is not by chance that the Ambani’s continue shinning as sports evidently runs deep in the family.

From their dad (footballer) to mum (netballer), Fred, Boniface (football), Vincent (Ulinzi Warriors basketball team) and Evelyn (Taekwondo) almost everybody in the Ambani family is involved in sports.

National Women Handball Team's Coach Jack Ochieng' (left) and keep watch as Alexina Ambani aims goal during training ahead of on going all Africa games in Barazaville Congo. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO.

Alexina’s daughter, Ninel Naserian a form two student at Tigoi Girls, is a budding basketballer, while her nephew Dante Ambani (Boniface’s son) recently joined Kenya Ports Authority basketball team.

And just like her elder brothers, the last born in the family of six has kept her handball fans entertained.

The 36-year-old right back court player has been a force to reckon with since joining the Kenya Defence Forces directly from Lirhembe High School in 2004.

Apart from winning multiple titles with Ulinzi (Six Kenya Handball Federation national league and seven Military Games titles), Alexina has clinched numerous individual awards including 2013/14 overall best player award and 2016 best court player gong.

Just like most kids in rural areas, Alexina grew up as a footballer before she fell in love with handball after joining high school. But before then she had tried playing volleyball.

And while Alexina feels challenged by her brothers’ achievements, she believes she has what it takes to shoulder the weight of expectation and live up to her esteemed family’s sporting name.

“I’m lucky to have several people to look up to in our family. Though I come from a sporting family, you must be disciplined to achieve your own targets and keep the family’s name up,” Alexina told Standard Sports.

“Personally, it has not been a walk in the park. I had to dedicate myself and work hard to reach this stage.

“As a professional player, you must have something extra that separates you from the rest. I also have the responsibility of protecting the Ambani’s name.”

She revealed the influence her brothers have had on career with their annual December holidays meetings uniting them.

“From the time I was a little girl, sports was all that my elder brothers talked about. It is always fun whenever I’m with my brothers especially during the December holidays. But I always feel challenged of their achievements,” she said.

“Just like other families, we meet during the holidays to share our experiences and achievements. It’s through such forums that I have been motivated and inspired to live up to my dreams.”

But Alexina says she doesn’t regretting switching from football to handball as the latter opened doors for her.

“It is through handball that I got the job at KDF and played for the national team,” she said.

Her elder brother Fred and Boniface made name for themselves while playing for AFC Leopards.

They were twin strikers for Ingwe when they won their last KPL title in 1998.

Boniface says they always support each other as a family in sports even though their mother was against sports at first.