NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 25 – In a mixed year for national football team Harambee Stars, what stood out for the team was their first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in 15 years, taking their place in Group C with neighbors Tanzania and eventual finalists Algeria and Senegal.

Stars came within just one point of progressing to the round of 16, but left Cairo with only one win, a hard labored 3-2 victory over Tanzania in their penultimate group match.

That victory came in between 2-0 and 3-0 losses at the hands of Algeria and Senegal respectively with the two African giants ending up facing each other in the final, a match that the Algerians won 1-0 for their first African title since 1990.

But for fans back at home, it was not the result, but the manner in which Kenya lost that pained them the most. For a huge select, it was felt Stars didn’t fight enough especially against the two giants.

The team had invested in preparations with a group of 26 players flying out for a three week training camp in Marcoussis, the outskirts of the French capital Paris.

While in Paris, the team faced Madagascar in a friendly match, a game they won 1-0 before playing DR Congo in Madrid a week to the AFCON, drawing 1-1.

-CHAN exit, Migne departure

After their AFCON campaign in Cairo, the team came back home and immediately got to work, as they faced Tanzania in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.

Back to back 0-0 draws and a penalty shoot out loss left Stars out of a first ever qualification to the tournament and the result left head coach Sebastien Migne as a casualty as he was fired from the job alongside his entire technical bench.

It was what had been coming for a long time. His tactics and methods had been on the scrutiny as he was oft accused of setting up a defensive game plan, even when there was no need to.

Sources intimate to Capital Sports that the Frenchman’s style had deprived most players of their freedom to play and they played ‘in fear’ as they did not want to be bashed by the tactician.

During the friendly match against Madagascar in Paris, Migne fell out with winger Ayub Masika after he lashed out at him in the touchline accusing him of keeping the ball too much. It was the start of a frosty relationship between the two.

-Tense moment

Capital Sports can also reveal that there was a tense moment in the dressing room during the match against Tanzania in Egypt with skipper Wanyama furious with the coach’s tactics of allegedly playing a defensive shape against Tanzania.

Wanyama is said to have been red furious and stated that they would not defend in the second half and the team will play the best way possible to ensure they won.

Migne was eventually replaced by Francis Kimanzi, his assistant for the entire spell he was in Kenya.

Kimanzi took Kenya into the qualifiers of the 2021 Cup of Nations with the first match against Egypt ending in a 1-1 draw in Alexandria. It was an encouraging result for the side, picking up a point against the five-time African champions away from home.

But, the second match was a lull, a 1-1 draw with Togo at home.

But there was more than meets the eye in this match. Sources inside the team believe that former coach Migne ‘sold them out’ to his coaching godfather Claude Le Roy who is Togo’s boss.

The team believes that Migne fed the tactician with info and videos on Kenya having been with the team for close to a year and with a huge amount of training and match day videos enough for any coach to prepare adequately for a match.

-CECAFA performance

Stars ended the year at the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, where the most talked about subject from their Uganda sojourn was not the fact that they relinquished the title, but the fact that they lost to Eritrea.

The Red Sea Boys were playing their first CECAFA Championship since 2012 and ended up thrashing Stars 4-1 in the semi-finals. It was the biggest loss for the national team in recent years.

The team managed to bounce back with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania in the play-off, but Kimanzi left happy that his young squad had gained experience.

-Players abroad

It was a tough year for skipper Victor Wanyama in the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. A return from a long injury lay off saw him struggle for play-time under former head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

The midfielder was often overlooked by the Argentine and hasn’t played much this season.

He had been primed to depart White Hart Lane in the summer, but a protracted move to Club Brugge in Belgium broke down in the final minutes as they could not agree on personal terms.

He went back to Spurs and even with the arrival of new boss Jose Mourinho, things haven’t been better for the midfield workhorse. He has only made one appearance as an 82^nd minute substitute in the Champions League against Bayern Munich.

While it has been a tough year for Wanyama, the same couldn’t be said about striker Michael Olunga.

The forward has been in blazing form in the Japanese second tier with Kashiwa Reysol, with the highlight of his season being the eight goals he scored in a 13-1 win over Kyoto Sanga in the final day of the season.

Olunga’s form saw him score 27 goals and lay up nine assists for Reysol in 30 matches, contributing to 42pc of the team’s goals to help them back up to the J1 league.

He was also Kenya’s star man in terms of national team duty, scoring two goals at the AFCON and netting the single goal in the 1-1 draw against Egypt last month.

Meanwhile, several Kenyan players have been on the move.

Left back Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma made his big leap finally, signing for Swedish top tier side AIK from third tier club Vassalunds IF. He followed compatriot Joseph Okumu to the Swedish top tier with the former Chemelil Sugar man having signed for IF Elfsborg.

Defender David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng also moved back to the Saudi leagues when he signed for second tier side Al Ansar.

Winger Cliff Nyakeya also made his first pro move when he left Mathare United to join Egyptian side Al Masry.

What lies ahead in 2020

Stars will have another attempt at qualifying for the Cup of Nations. The qualification process for Cameroon 2021 will be completed in November.

Stars will face Comoros in back to back home and away matches on August 31 and September 8, then host Egypt at home on October 5 before travelling to Togo for the final group match on November 9.

Statistically, 10 points are usually enough to see a team qualify for AFCON. Stars are on two currently and if they get maximum points in the home and away ties to Comoros, then they will only need a victory in any of their last two matches to proceed.

But before the 2021 AFCON qualifiers Stars will kick start the journey to try and qualify for a first ever World Cup when the Qatar 2022 qualifiers kick off in March.

The draw for the group stages is expected to be conducted in February.

The post 2019 in review: Stars taste AFCON after 15yrs appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 26 – The national women volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, are among the five finalists who will be battling for the top prize during the Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) Gala set for Mombasa County on January 24.

The African volleyball queens will battle for the bragging rights to be named the 2019 Team of the Year in the women category alongside Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) basketball team and national women football team, the Harambee Starlets.

Women Premier League champions Vihiga Queens and national women sevens team Lionesses are also in contention for the award in the event that is sponsored by Safaricom with co-sponsorship from County Government of Mombasa, Kenya Pipeline, Communication Authority of Kenya, New KCC, Lapfund, Kenya Power, UBA Bank, Nairobi Bottlers, Kenya Ports Authority, NHIF, NSSF, Kenya Tourism Board and GOtv.

Malkia Strikers were nominated for the award after successfully defending the African Games title in Morocco by beating rivals Cameroon in the final to win the gold medal in September.

They went into the final with a mission to beat the Central Africa country who had beaten them at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which was played in Egypt in July.

Malkia were forced to settle for second place at the Africa Cup of Nations despite having gone through the group stages unbeaten.

After the African Games in Morocco, Malkia Strikers went to the World Cup in Japan where they faced stiff competition from other established teams. However, they still came back home from the global event having won one match as they once again beat rivals Cameroon.

On their art, KPA emerged second in the just concluded Zone V championship losing to JKL from Uganda.

They also KPA boasts of having seven players in the national team.

The Mombasa-based women also reached the final play-offs of the Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League where they played Equity Bank, losing 3-2 in the best of five series.

Meanwhile Kenya Lionesses once again showed why they are a force to reckon with as they qualified for Olympics for the second year in a row. Lionesses also played at the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio.

At the Hong Kong Sevens, the Felix Oloo-coached side reached the Cup semis after losing 17-5 to eventual winners Brazil.

They topped Pool B with victories over Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong and Uganda and in the quarters they beat Argentina.

Harambee Starlets will however hope that their exploits at the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) where they won the Challenge Cup will give them mileage over the other four teams.

Apart from winning the regional tournament with an unbeaten record, Starlets also did not concede a single goal and also produced the top striker in the tournament in Jentrix Shikangwa.

Starlets also reached the penultimate round of the 2020 Olympics Qualifiers, but they eventually lost to Zambia in a two-legged tie.

The other football team who will be hoping it will be a good outing for football teams are Vihiga Queens.

The girls had a good outing in the Women Premier League, as they won the title by losing only one match and also drawing only once.

The post Malkia Strikers, Starlets battle for SOYA crown appeared first on Capital Sports.

KISII, Kenya, Dec 26 – Arsenal fans from various parts of the country celebrated Christmas with less privileged children in Kisii, placing a smile on the less fortunate in the society.

Donning the Arsenal jerseys, the fans visited Jogoo children’s home in Kisii town where they donated foodstuff for the children.

the fans who came from different counties also opened an Arsenal office for fans in the town.

Speaking at the children’s home Kisii branch arsenal fans official Dominic Ouko said this is the 18th branch the fans have opened.

“Other than watching the game we decided that we meet as a family and do something positive that can transform the society,” said Ouko.

He noted that charity events to the vulnerable children are among the key issues they will address as a way of giving back to society.

Migori branch representative said the charity is a responsibility for the fans, with the aim of expanding territories in the coming years.

-Rosemary Onchari

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LONDON, United Kingdom, Dec 26 – David Rudisha’s 2012 Olympic 800m world record triumph has been chosen as the athletics moment of the decade.

Over the past two weeks, athletics fans from around the world have been casting their votes on the World Athletics Instagram page, whittling down a long list of 32 moments.

In the final stage of voting, Rudisha was up against Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon world record from Berlin in 2018. The votes were close, but Rudisha ultimately had the edge, 1151 votes to Kipchoge’s 939.

Rudisha’s victory in London in 2012 was the greatest moment of the Kenyan’s career.

Leading up to those Games, he had twice broken the world record in 2010 and won the world title in 2011. He arrived in London undefeated throughout the 2012 season and with the four fastest times in the world that year. Unsurprisingly, he started as the overwhelming favourite.

But few would have predicted that Rudisha would have been capable of breaking his own world record in a non-paced championship setting.

One of the few people who perhaps had an inkling of what was to come was Kenyan teammate Timothy Kitum, whom Rudisha had told before the race: “Don’t follow me or you’ll die towards the end. Go for the silver.”

It turned out to be good advice as Rudisha was unchallenged. He passed through 200m in 23.4 and 400m in 49.28. He already had a two-metre lead as he entered the back straight for the second time and his advantage only grew as the race progressed, reaching 600m in 1:14.30.

Urged on by the 80,000 fans who were sensing a stunning moment in the making, the long-striding Rudisha maintained his lead to the finish, crossing the line in 1:40.91 and punching the air as he did so, a lifetime’s ambition realised.

“I have waited for this moment for a long time,” said Rudisha. “I had no doubt about winning, but to come here and get a world record is unbelievable.”

The post Rudisha’s WR run voted moment of the decade appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 26 – The national women’s football team Harambee Starlets had a golden year, one that culminated in their first ever conquest at the CECAFA Women’s Challenge Cup in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Head coach David Ouma made a brave decision, cleaning out the entire team and doing away with most players who were an integral part of the team for the last three years.

He started building up a new team with young players and only retained a few of the seniors including skipper Dorcas Shikobe, Corazone Aquino and Sheryl Angachi.

His gamble proved to have been a correct one and he was vindicated with the team’s results at the end of the year.

Starlets’ competitive year started in August, but despite the short period of competitions under their wings, they made it all count.

-First Senior Challenge title

Starlets came close in their first attempt in 2016, reaching the final and lost to Tanzania in Jinja, Uganda. They didn’t perform as well as they would have wished in 2017 when they finished out of the podium places.

But come 2017, they made up for all the misses and near misses with an emphatic performance, winning the title on an unbeaten run and without conceding a single goal.

A 2-0 victory over Tanzania in the final was a perfect revenge for the Kenyan girls as they picked their first major silverware.

-Olympic qualification run

The team had a splendid run in their attempt for a first ever qualification to the Olympic Games, a run that was only halted by Zambia in the penultimate round of qualification.

A 1-0 draw at home proved to be catastrophic as the two away goals conceded in Nairobi punctured their hunt heading into the return round in Lusaka where they lost by a solitary goal.

But despite the loss, they bowed out with their heads held high. The victory over Ghana in the second round was a huge morale booster.

-Individual performances

In a successful year for the team, there were several stand-out players.

Jentrix Shikangwa was definitely the star of the side. She scored 10 goals at the Women’s Challenge Cup finishing as the top scorer. She stepped off the bench to score twice in the final against Tanzania to hand Kenya the win.

She also scored the winner against Ethiopia in a friendly in Machakos and the lone goal that saw Kenya shine over Ghana, an added time penalty to send them to the penultimate round of Olympic qualification.

–Women Premier League

Vihiga Queens continued their dominance in the Football Kenya Federation Women’s Premier League, clinching their third title in a row after bagging a whooping 70 points.

Teresa Engesha was the star of the Vihiga side as she hit more than 30 goals in the season to finish as the top scorer and inspire the team to the title.

However, it was always not smooth sailing for the league as it encountered a long stoppage midway through because of lack of funding.

The post 2019 review: shiny year for Harambee Starlets appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 27 – Eliud Kipchoge, arguably the best marathoner ever, one most would refer to as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) took the biggest share of Kenyan athletics shine in 2019 with his history making Ineos 1:59 challenge.

It was a successful year for Kenyan athletics, just like it has been over the years, though gremlins here and there, top of it all the massive ghost of doping always showed its head.

From the World Cross Country Championship to the Track Championship and Major Marathons, Capital Sports takes a look at how Kenya fared in the athletics world in 2019.

-Kipchoge ‘lands on the moon’

World Marathon record holder Kipchoge started his year by successfully defending his London marathon title, but his biggest achievement of the year and probably his entire career was what he described as ‘landing on the moon’.

Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon under two hours when he clocked 1:59:40 in the Ineos 1:59 challenge on the streets of Vienna, Austria in October, in what was his second attempt at the feat.

Though it was not recorded as an official record, the Olympic champion went into the history books and inspired a whole generation with the interwebs trending with his name for two days.

Celebrities, sportsmen and women and even former US president Barrack Obama were in awe, congratulating him for his feat.

His prowess in road running saw him clinch the World Athletics Male Athlete of The Year for a second year running.

–Obiri shines on track and mud

The 30-year old won on two different surfaces to make a successful year.

On her World Cross Country Championship debut, Hellen Obiri added a piece of medal that had lacked in her collection, clinching the senior women’s title in Aarhus, Denmark in March.

She clocked 36.14 to clinch the 10km title, just two seconds ahead of Ethiopian Dera Dida to start off her year on a positive note.

Going into the track championship in Doha in September, Obiri didn’t have the start she desired. She finished outside the medal brackets in the 10,000m, a race won by Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan and in her own words, Obiri wanted to go back home after that race.

She was dejected after being beaten, but after encouragement from her husband, manager and fans, she decided to stick in Doha and go for the 5,000m race.

She took all her anger there and it was a success as she clinched the title, leading a Kenyan 1-2 with Margaret Chelimo finishing second.

–Timothy Cheruiyot finally comes of age

After years of playing second fiddle to training partner Elijah Manangoi, Timothy Cheruiyot made maximum advantage of the latter’s injury prone season to finally clinch a major title.

Cheruiyot had come second to Manangoi at the 2017 World Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but he made amends clinching the world title finally in Doha with Manangoi missing with injury.

It was a perfect ending to the season for Cheruiyot who had ruled the 1500m season in the Diamond League, winning the Diamond Trophy that came with a Sh5mn purse attached to it.

–Conseslus keeps Kenya’s steeple joy

A half fit Conseslus Kipruto ensured that Kenya’s dominance in the 3,000m steeplechase remained unchallenged as he put up a remarkable last dip finish to clinch the world title in Doha.

Kipruto had struggled with injury the entire season and had pulled out of three races prior to the World Championships, including the national trials in Nairobi.

But in one of the most memorable photo finishes, he dipped one microsecond ahead of Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma to retain his world title in a world leading time of 8:01.35.

–Brigid Kosgei’s world record run

Brigid Kosgei, 25, put her name in the history books when she broke Paul Radcliffe’s 16-year women’s marathon world record, clinching the Chicago Marathon title in 2:14:04, taking a minute and 21 seconds off the previous mark.

It was her second major marathon victory this year having also won in London.

-Kenyans rule World Marathon majors

Apart from Tokyo and Berlin, Kenyans were unstoppable in the World Marathon Majors. Ethiopians dominated in the season opening Tokyo Marathon, Birhanu Legese winning the men’s race while Ruti Aga won the women’s.

Bedan Karoki and Dickson Chumba finished second and third respectively while Florence Kiplagat was the best placed Kenyan in the women’s race finishing fourth.

Lawrence Cherono then started Kenya’s dominance with victory at the Boston Marathon with Worknesh Degefa winning the women’s race as the experienced Edna Kiplagat finished second.

Kipchoge and Brigid then kept the pedal moving in London. In the women’s race, Kenya scooped four places in the top five with Vivian Cheruiyot finishing second, Gladys Cherono fourth and Mary Keitany fifth.

In Chicago, Cherono and Kosgei picked up their second major titles of the year before Geoffrey Kamworor and Joyciline Jepkosgei wound up the year with victories in New York.

Jepkopsgei, a half marathon specialist and record holder made her debut in the full marathon and made it a memorable one with victory.

–Doping taints Kenya’s image once again

Even as Athletics Kenya and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) continue in their strides to reduce doping cases in the country, the ugly head still showed up with several high-profile cases reported.

Multiple Olympic and World 15000m champion Asbel Kiprop was slapped with a four-year ban at the beginning of the year for use of EPO, though he continues to profess innocence.

Rio 2016 marathon champion Jemimah Sumgong was the next high profile name to be slapped with a ban, over the same use of EPO while Lucy Kabuu was banned for two years for use of Morphine.

Former world half marathon record holder Abraham Kiptum was also slapped with a four-year ban over inconsistencies found in his Athlete Biological Passport (ABP, same case that befell Cyrus Rutto.

The most shocking was when 18-year old Angela Munguti was handed a four-year ban for use of performance enhancing drugs during last year’s youth Olympics in Argentina.

The post 2019 in review: Kipchoge takes athletics shine appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 27 – The national Under-20 rugby team, Chipu, and the national women’s team, The Lionesses provided the biggest share of cheers in the local rugby scenes with their performances through 2019.

While the Lionesses reached the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Sevens and qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Chipu won the Barthes Cup for the very first time.

Capital Sports takes a look at the Kenyan rugby scene from the Under-20’s, women’s rugby, Kenya 7s, Kenya 15s and club rugby.

-Chipu dominate on home soil

Under the tutelage of head coach Paul Odera, Chipu triumphed on home soil to lift the Barthes Cup for the first time ever with a hard earned 21-18 victory over arch-rivals Namibia at the KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka.

The team had come close for way too many times, and the victory in Nairobi was a huge success for Odera and his coaching staff.

The conquest in the Barthes Cup earned the team a place in the World Junior Trophy in Brazil for the first time ever and they gave in a brave performance to finish sixth after winning one game, beating hosts Brazil in a group game.

-Lionesses qualify for consecutive Olympics

Though they narrowly lost their Africa 7s crown to rivals South Africa, the Kenya Lionesses qualified for a second consecutive Olympics, much thanks to rules by the South African Olympic Committee that bars teams from earning tickets through regional qualifiers.

The Lionesses capped off a wonderful year having also done remarkably well at the Hong Kong Sevens earlier in the year where they reached the semi-finals, losing out to eventual champions Brazil.

At the close of the year, the Lionesses have just participated at the Dubai Invitational Sevens tournament where they reached the final.

-Shujaa survive relegation, but new dawn gives hope

National Sevens team Shujaa narrowly survived relegation as a core team at the World Sevens Series, finishing 13^th with 37 points, 10 away from the chop zone. The 10 points they picked in the final leg in Paris proved to be the masterstroke of their survival.

The team endured a torrid season after most of the seniors chose to stay away due to a contractual stand-off with a broke Union and the technical bench had to make do with an inexperienced side.

It was not until the final three rounds of the season that a few experienced heads came in and were able to steady the Shujaa ship and ensure they don’t drop out of the core teams.

After the season, the Union made changes to the team and most importantly made peace with some of the experienced players.

Paul Feeney was brought in as the new head coach replacing Paul Murunga and he began his tenure with emphatic form, leading the team to reclaiming their Africa 7s title and qualify for the Olympics for a second consecutive time.

He continued with his revival of the team with the second string side Morans clinching the Safari Sevens title with a final victory over South Africa while the first team, Shujaa, finished third.

The team has started the new season well, picking 15 points from the first two rounds.

-Simbas roar on top of Mount Elgon

The Kenya Simbas once again roared to supremacy in the Elgon Cup duel with neighbors Uganda. The SImbas lost the first leg played outside Nairobi for the first time ever, going down 16-13 to the Cranes in Kisumu but bounced back in the return tie in Kampala to win 16-5 on the day and 29-21 on aggregate.

The two matches against Uganda counted for the Victoria Cup where Kenya finished second overall after four wins and two losses, the one against Uganda and a narrow one away to eventual winners Zimbabwe.

-KCB dominate local club scene

Kenya Commercial Bank dominated both the short and long versions of the game, rising to victory in both the national sevens series and the Kenya Cup.

The bankers won four out of the six legs of the six legs to clinch the series.

In the Kenya Cup, Curtis Olago’s charges were unstoppable once again, clinching their third consecutive title with a 23-15 victory over rivals Kabras Sugar at their Kakamega Showground backyard.

Kabras meanwhile consoled themselves with the Enterprise Cup.

The post 2019 in review: Chipu, Lionesses shine in rugby appeared first on Capital Sports.

ITEN, Kenya, Dec 29 – The bunk beds squeak. Pristine sheets are stretched tight over the mattresses. Bundles of Lycra hang packed together on clotheslines, in sharp contrast to the rest of this tidy room.

St Patrick’s High School in Iten, in the west of Kenya, is home for 1,210 teenage boys. The school is located about 350 kilometres north-west of Nairobi, the country’s capital. It has a reputation for academic success, sporting achievement and the discipline of the students.

Every day, when the boys go from their dormitories to the classrooms, they pass trees planted by former students who have won Olympic medals, championship titles or set world records.

All of them from competitive running. Pupils are first selected for their academic results in primary school, but Cornelius Kemboi is one of only two students admitted because of a talent for running. “My goal has always been to get accepted at this school,” he says.

Kemboi is 19. Running has been part of his life for a long time. At the age of 10, he did not like the lunch served at his school so would run the two kilometres home to enjoy his mother’s cooking instead. It took his short legs about 10 minutes each way.

“When we were playing in school no-one could catch me – I was the fastest,” he says with a smile.

Until he was 15, Kemboi ran only for fun and without any structure or training. Then he was scouted by a talent programme and started running competitively.

“My parents are very supportive. They know that I’m capable of running and they are impressed. They always came to watch me, because I always was the fastest.”

Fast running is in his blood. He has two older brothers who both received scholarships in the United States because of their speed. Today, they are his role models. Kemboi dreams of following in their footsteps and combining running with a good education.

“In 10 years, I want to be someone you see all over the world. To be a true champion and raise the flag of Kenya. I want to be a successful man, who others can admire and look up to,” he says, straightening his back.

Kemboi is the fastest runner here. It is a big pressure to have on his shoulders. But he has already taken the first step towards achieving his goal. He has been selected for a talent programme run by ‘the godfather of Kenyan running’ – Brother Colm O’Connell.

O’Connell joined St Patrick’s in 1976 and eventually became headmaster. He has now retired from teaching but still coaches at the school. He runs training camps during the school holidays, when Kemboi is part of a group of about 50 young people who practise three times a day for six weeks.

Perhaps O’Connell’s best-known success story is David Rudisha, who has won Olympic gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, as well as two world titles. He is Kemboi’s biggest idol, and also attended St Patrick’s.

“I am not trying to produce better athletes, I am trying to produce better people,” O’Connell says humbly.

St Patrick’s Iten students in dining hall. Photo/TOBIAS KOBBORGThe lower bunk in the middle of the eighth corridor, right before the second plywood separation wall, is the home of boy number 6,667.

Kemboi is lying in this bed. His bed. A few friends are sitting on its edge, more on the neighbouring mattresses and even more are in the upper bunks, their heads peering down over the edge so they can follow everything going on below. They hide their faces with their hands and twist their bodies. The sound of their loud laughter and the squeaky bed springs fill up the room.

Suddenly, the group breaks up and the atmosphere becomes hectic. Small snacks are retrieved from the metal boxes, green school blazers are thrown around shoulders and leather shoes are laced up in haste.

The boys are on their way to class. With eyes wide open, they scout for teachers with canes before they run as fast as they can, past the trees planted by former medallists.

First lessons at St Patrick’s start at 4.30am. The children are occupied all day until the last class ends at 10pm. Tea breaks, three meals and an hour and a half of sports, games or relaxation is the only interruption to their intense studies.

“It is important the students learn to be good humans, with discipline in life. If they do not learn that, they will never get far,” says Peter Obwogo, the school principal.

Bad behaviour, tardiness or cheating is met with punishment by whip or by cane. It does not worry Kemboi. He is focused on his running and his studies.

The wind is calm and a haze following the previous day’s rain moves slowly around the still black sky. It is 5.30am.

Kemboi walks beneath the cold streetlights on campus. Outside the gate, where the darkness begins, he stops and waits for the others – five students who have special permission to leave the classrooms for a morning run. They return 45 minutes later. Short of breath, they take a short break before they continue with stretching and more advanced exercises.

They need to take a shower and have breakfast before they join classes again at 7am. The breakfast is quick – just a cup of tea and a small piece of white bread.

“We only get small meals and it is not enough to sustain my body,” Kemboi says. He normally trains for 45 to 60 minutes twice a day.

“When I have studied all day, I get really tired – even though I have not done anything,” he says. “It sometimes makes me really annoyed. When I am in school I just have to accept the food, but when we are in training camp we eat good. A big portion.”

Kenya’s great historical success in running means many youngsters dream about becoming the next big champion, about the possibility of travelling to western countries to study on a scholarship. For some, it is a chance to live a life otherwise out of reach.

In more developed countries, aspiring professional athletes design their whole lives around optimisations for training. For most in Kenya that is not a possibility. They just run. Like Kemboi.

Whether his efforts and talent are enough to get a scholarship in the United States, as it was for both of his siblings, O’Connell has no doubts.

As for whether he will achieve his goal of becoming one of the next great Kenyan stars – that is harder to predict. But many have followed the same path he is on now.

-By BBC Sport–

The post Kenyan Olympic hopeful who lives for running appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 29 – Mathare United returned to winning ways in a scintillating fashion after handing Nzoia Sugar a 4-0 beating while champions Gor Mahia were held to a 1-1 draw by Posta Rangers in the two Kenyan Premier League matches played Sunday in various venues across the country.

At the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani, Mathare United ended a two-match winless run to climb a position in the table, occupying ninth position while Nzoia picked their third straight defeat, stretching their winless run to 11 matches and inch closer to relegation spot.

The win for Mathare United saw them bounce back from a 3-0 drubbing to AFC Leopards last weekend.

Experienced Clifford Alwanga gave Mathare the lead in the 37th minute to ensure the Slum Boys headed to the interval in the driving seat.

Mathare returned rejuvenated in the second half adding three more goals thanks to Daniel Otieno who stroke eight minutes in the half time, James Kinyanjui netted the third in the 71st minute while Otieno sealed the win two minutes later.

–Gor held-

In the other fixture of the day, Gor Mahia who were without the head coach Steven Polack and forwards Francis Afriyie as well as well as well as Ivorian Gislain Yikpe, settled for a draw with skipper Kenneth Muguna coming to their rescue at the jaws of Posta Rangers.

After a goalless draw in the first half, hosts Rangers took the lead in the 56th minute through Joseph Mbugu from the penalty spot.

With Rangers destined to pick the entire points, Muguna was to rescue Gor with a goal five minutes from time in the absence of head coach Pollack who is away on holiday.

With the draw, Gor extended their lead at the top of the log with one point above second-placed Tusker FC who have played two games more.

The post Mathare back in the grove as Gor shares spoils appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 29 – World champion Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya will be the woman to beat when world-class athletes line-up at the Madrid’s San Silvestre Vallecana 10km run on New Year’s Eve.

It will be exactly one year after race records were shattered at this World Athletics Gold Label road race.

At the 2018 edition, Jacob Kiplimo and Brigid Kosgei produced spectacular performances as they sped to 26:41 and 29:54 course records.

The downhill nature of the course (5.5m per kilometre) meant that Kiplimo’s performance couldn’t count as a world record, but was still a notable run as it took 13 seconds off the previous race record set by Eliud Kipchoge back in 2006. For her part, Kosgei obliterated Gelete Burka’s previous course record by a full minute.

This year, Turkey’s Aras Kaya, fresh from a silver medal at the European Cross-Country Championships three weeks ago, should be tipped as one of the favourites.

The 25-year-old is an accomplished cross-country runner, with the 2016 European title and the 2018 bronze medal under his belt. He has not raced over 10km on the road yet but has a 27:48.53 personal best on the track.

The Ugandan contingent will be headed by Mande Bushendich, 22, who finished third last year in 27:24. His set his 10km season’s best of 27:56 in Brunssum in March.

He’ll be joined by compatriot Moses Kurong, who brings 59:50 half-marathon credentials to the line. While his quickest time on the track is 27:22.33, the 25-year-old has yet to dip under 28 minutes on the roads.

A third Ugandan in contention will be Boniface Sikowo, a 3000m steeplechase specialist with a 8:25.91 career best, who’ll be making his 10km debut. The 20-year-old competed at the World Championships in October but didn’t advance to the final.

The in-form Belgian Bashir Abdi will also be a factor. The 30-year-old broke the Belgian marathon record in Chicago in October clocking 2:06:14. Abdi set a 15km PB of 42:29 in Heerenberg earlier this month and has a 27:36.40 career best on the track.

Toni Abadía, Fernando Carro, and Abdessadam Oukhelfen will carry Spanish hopes for a top-five finish. Abadía finshed third here three times (2014/2016/2017) and holds the Spanish 10km road record of 27:48.

Carro is the Spanish 3000m steeplechase record holder thanks to an 8:05.69 performance in Monaco last July while Oukhelfen, 21, arrives on the heels of bronze medal in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships.

Chepngetich – Tola showdown in women’s race

Chepngetich will start as the woman to beat. The reigning world marathon champion is enjoying a brilliant 2019 after opening with an impressive 2:17:08 win in Dubai which places her fourth on the all-time world list. She then kept on with several half marathon victories topped by a 1:05:29 effort in Istanbul on 7 April.

Tuesday’s will be the 25-year-old’s first outing since her Doha triumph, and she’ll be keen to improve her 31:12 personal best.

She’ll face stiff opposition from Ethiopia’s Helen Bekele Tola, who smashed her 10km best with a 30:47 run in Lausanne on 27 October. The 25-year-old has shown fine consistency over the marathon distance this year, clocking a 2:21:01 PB for second in Tokyo in March and 2:21:36 for fourth in Berlin in September.

The post Chepngetich favourite in Madrid 10km run appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 30 – Kenyans Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and Norah Jeruto smashed the men’s and women’s course records at the 48th edition of the Corrida Pédestre Internationale de Houilles, a World Athletices Silver Label road race.

In the men’s race, in the absence of the two-time defending champion Julien Wanders, Frenchman Jimmy Gressier set a very aggressive pace from the gun. He hit the first kilometre in a very fast 2:40, a blazing 26:40 pace.

At his instigation a small group broke from the rest of the field: Kenyans Ebenyo, Felix Kipkoech and Nibret Melak along with Ethiopian Haftu Teklu, who finished fifth at last year’s event.

The leading group slowed the tempo, going through three kilometres in 8:10. Then Ebenyo, who had improved his career best to 28:23 one month ago, made his move and broke from the field. After two of the three laps, Ebenyo’s pace was faster than the 27:25 course record set by Wanders last year.

The gap continued to grow over the next few kilometres before Ebenyo produced an impressive display of strength in the waning stages to break the tape in 27:12, improving the course record by 13 seconds.

With this time, Ebenyo ends 2019 as the fourth fastest fourth 10km runner of the year.

After a fierce final sprint battle, Teklu edged Gressier to take second in 27:43, 27 seconds faster than his personal best set in this race last year. Gressier, who was given the same time, improved his previous best by 30 seconds.

“I gave everything,” said Gressier, who clinched a third consecutive European U23 cross country title in Lisbon earlier this month. “I was only expected a time today, not the place.” He will be targeting Wanders’ 27:25 European record next week in Nice.

As expected, the women’s race was fast as well. Norah Jeruto fulfilled her status as pre-race favourite following her 30:07 career best last September in Prague. The Kenyan, 24, made up the difference quickly ahead of the Ethiopian pair of Nigsti Haftu Tesfay and Gete Alemayehu, the defending champion and course record holder.

Jeruto captured a convincing victory in 30:32, breaking the course record by 40 seconds. Tesfay, who won the Corrida de Langueux in June, finished runner-up in 30:52, 20 seconds adrift of the winner.

Alemayehu finished third and bettered her personal best by four seconds, crossing the line in 31:08, four seconds ahead of Liv Westphal, who improved the French national record by five seconds. Westphal, 26, finished fifth at the European Cross Country Championships.

Leading results

Men

1 Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (KEN) 27:12

2 Haftu Teklu (ETH) 27:43

3 Jimmy Gressier (FRA) 27:43

4 Felix Kipkoech (KEN) 27:48

5 Nibret Melak (KEN) 27:57

Women

1 Norah Jeruto (KEN) 30:32

2 Nigsti Haftu Tesfay (ETH) 30:52

3 Gete Alemayehu (ETH) 31:08

4 Liv Westphal (KEN) 31:15

5 Gloria Kite (KEN) 31:42

The post Kenyans smash course records in France appeared first on Capital Sports.

LONDON, United Kingdom, Dec 31 – Liverpool appear to have the Premier League title wrapped up with a 13-point advantage over second-placed Leicester but the fight to avoid relegation looks like being a down to the wire tussle.

Just nine points separates ninth-placed Crystal Palace and third from bottom Aston Villa.

Here AFP Sport picks out three pivotal matches in Wednesday’s action:

Arteta needs to get Gunners firing

The old adage ‘too good to go down’ should apply to Arsenal, who have been a fixture in the top tier since 1919/20. However, they are just six points above the drop zone and new boss Mikel Arteta would probably have preferred an easier opponent than Manchester United as he bids to win his first game after a draw and defeat in his opening two matches in charge.

The United attack will be licking their lips at the thought of giving the weak Gunners defence a thorough test with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and defenders Skohdran Mustafi and David Luiz far from reliable. Arteta will want to see more of what his side produced in the opening half hour of the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea if they are to avoid a fifth successive home loss in all competitions — their present run of four is their worst since 1959.

“Individual errors cost you games but I can’t fault the effort, commitment and for putting in place what we practised,” said Arteta.

However, with confidence at a low ebb defeat for Arsenal on Wednesday and victory for third from bottom Aston Villa at Burnley would suck them deeper into the relegation battle.

Hammers pray Moyes delivers in second coming

David Moyes may not be welcomed back universally by West Ham fans but if the 55-year-old saves them from relegation for a second time like he did in the 2017-18 season, before being dispensed with, then all will be forgiven. A home game for the side fourth from bottom against Bournemouth, who are just a point above them in 16th, represents a seemingly ideal first challenge.

However, their home form has been as woeful as Arsenal’s with four successive defeats — equalling their worst run in the Premier League since November 2005 — and it would not be a surprise to see Moyes energise their attack by selecting both Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller.

The Cherries have largely escaped attention in their terrible run — just one win in nine — but the pressure may begin to mount on Eddie Howe with a defeat.

“It feels great to be home,” said Moyes. “I feel like I’ve got unfinished business.”

Watford’s revival faces stern Wolves test

Nigel Pearson engineered a remarkable rescue act for Leicester in the 2014-15 season — at the time they were only the third side to escape the drop having been bottom at Christmas — arguably laying the foundations for their even more miraculous title win the following campaign.

The 56-year-old — who was relieved of his duties prior to the league winning season — could be on course to do the same for second from bottom Watford. Their third manager this term has guided them to two wins and a draw in four matches since taking over.

This new found confidence was reflected in easing to a 3-0 win over third from bottom Aston Villa on Saturday — scoring two of their goals after they had been reduced to 10 men — and this will be a much needed weapon when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves arrive sitting pretty in seventh place and on the back of an impressive win over champions Manchester City and considered unlucky to have lost to Liverpool on Sunday.

Pearson for his part will be looking for more of the same of what he witnessed against Villa: “We showed good intensity. We showed incredible unity on the pitch and bench. We have to make sure that remains high on our agenda — to keep the players together.”

Fixtures

Wednesday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Brighton v Chelsea, Burnley v Aston Villa (both 1230), Newcastle v Leicester, Southampton v Tottenham, Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City v Everton (1730), Norwich City v Crystal Palace (1730), West Ham v Bournemouth (1730), Arsenal v Manchester United (2000)

Thursday

Liverpool v Sheffield United (2000)

The post Eyes turn to EPL relegation dogfight appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 31 – As the national women’s volleyball team sets sights on a return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 16 years, head coach Paul Bitok while naming a team of 14 that will do duty in the Africa Qualifiers, called on the squad to avoid complacency.

The Malkia Strikers will compete for the sole ticket available to Africa alongside perennial rivals Cameroon who will host the event, Egypt, Botswana and Nigeria from January 4-9 in Yaoundé.

With the team missing the crucial services of experienced players Triza Atuka who is recovering from injury and veteran setter Janet Wanja, Bitok will bank on skipper Mercy Moim and Violet Makuto to steer the African Queens to breaking the 16-year jinx.

Inspirational player Sharon Chepchumba beat an injury scare picked in training to make the team alongside seasoned setter Jane Wacu, Joy Lusenaka, Libero Agripina Kundu, Elizabeth Wanyama and Noel Murambi among others.

Those dropped are Pamela Masasai, Caroline Serengo, Linsey Jeruto and youngster Esther Mutinda.

“Alongside the technical bench, we have great confidence to face the host Cameroon, Egypt, Botswana and Nigeria. We further urge the nation to fully support us during the qualifiers considering that only one team shall represent the continent,” Bitok, who guided the team to winning gold at Africa Games, underscored.

He added; “I urge my team to avoid complacency as our opponents are heavily preparing for this sole ticket. Further, I urged players to fully cooperate as a team and with the technical bench. Teamwork and hard work shall see us through,” he urged.

The last time Kenya qualified for the Olympics were way back in 2004 at Sydney Games, where they finished 11th.

Malkia Strikers line-up;

Jane Wacu, Joy Lusenaka, Edith Mukuvilani, Gladys Ekaru, Joan Chelagat, Sharon Chepchumba, Emmaculate Chemtai, Violet Makuto, Noel Murambi, Leonida Kasay, Jemimah Siangu, Mercy Moim, Agripina Kundu, Elizabeth Wanyama.

Dropped players;

Janet Wanja, Pamela Masasai, Caroline Serengo,  Linsey Jeruto, Esther Mutinda.

Officials;

Paul Bitok (Head Coach), Japheth Munala (Ass. Coach), Josp Barasa (Ass. Coach), Dr. Sarah Karongo (Team Doctor), (David Kilundu Team Manager), Shota Katagiri (statician)

The post Bitok: Avoid complacency in Olympic Qualifiers appeared first on Capital Sports.

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Jan 1 – Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie came from behind in a dramatic sprint finish to win the 95th edition of the popular annual Sao Silvestre race in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.

Kandie pipped Ugandan teenager Jacob Kiplimo on the line with a time of 42.59, becoming the first man to break 43 minutes for the 15-kilometer race through the streets of Brazil’s biggest city.

Fellow Kenyan Titus Ekiru took third.

On a triumphant day for Kenyans, Brigid Kosgei easily won the women’s race, breaking away early from the pack to finish in 48.54 — only one of three women to finish the event in under 50 minutes.

Kosgei’s compatriot Jemina Sumgong set the record of 48.35 in 2016.

Sheila Chelangat, another Kenyan, took second, more than a minute behind Kosgei, with Ethiopia’s Tisadik Alem Nigus in third.

More than 35,000 runners took part in the historic race, which has been run since 1924, many of them in fancy dress.

The post Kenyans at the double in Sao Paulo race appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 1 – World 5000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo equalled the course record at the BOclassic Silvesterlauf on New Year’s Eve in Bolzano, Italy.

Chelimo faced stiff competition from Ethiopians two-time Boclassic winner and world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta, Tariku Alemitu and fellow compatriots 2013 world 5000m silver medallist Mercy Cherono and Gloria Kite, who ran at a swift pace from the early stages of the women’s 5km race.

They went through the first lap in 3:43 and the second lap in 7:42. Gudeta, Chelimo and Kite pulled away from Cherono during the third lap and clocked 11:39 at the bell.

Gudeta and Chelimo stepped up the pace and were neck and neck race during the final lap before the Kenyan launched her final kick with 200 metres to go and held on to take the win in 15:30, equalling the course record set by her compatriot Agnes Tirop in 2017.

In a close finish, Gudeta was just one second behind with Kite a further second in arrears.

Cherono finished fourth in 15:38, while Italy’s double European U20 cross-country champion Nadia Battocletti was sixth in 16:11.

“It was my second time in Bolzano and I was well prepared as I am familiar with the course,” said Kipkemboi, who intends on contesting some cross-country races over the next few months. “It was a fast race and I am happy that I managed to beat Gudeta.”

-Ethiopians rule men’s race-

In the corresponding men’s race, marathon specialist Eyob Gebrhiwet Faniel of Ethiopia became the first Italian winner.

Faniel took an upset win in 28:21, beating world 5000m leader Telahun Haile Bekele of Ethiopia by seven seconds.

The last time an Italian runner won in Bolzano was in 1988 when Salvatore Antibo and Maria Curatolo took top honours.

Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, the world marathon bronze medallist, finished third in 28:37 ahead of Ugandan steeplechase specialist Albert Chemutai (28:50) and European 10,000m bronze medallist Yemaneberhan Crippa (28:54).

A leading group formed by Bekele, Kipruto, Chemutai, Crippa, Faniel and Ethiopia’s Mohammed Abdilmana took the lead in the early stages of the race.

They ran at a conservative pace, clocking 3:31 for both the first and second laps. Faniel took the initiative and moved to the front at the end of the third lap with 10:44 on the clock.

The leading pack was whittled down to five runners during the fifth lap. Bekele, Faniel and Kipruto broke away from Crippa and Chemutai with two laps to go and went through the sixth lap mark in 21:23. Faniel went to the lead and only Bekele managed to keep up with the Italian, while Kipruto was dropped by three seconds.

Bekele, who clocked a world-leading 12:52.98 for 5000m in Rome earlier in 2019, launched his attack during the last lap, but Faniel caught up with the Ethiopian and broke away by unleashing his final kick with 200 metres to go near the Fountain of Frogs.

He crossed the finish line in Walther Square in 28:21, improving his previous career best over this distance by three seconds.

Faniel finished fifth in the marathon at the European Championships in 2018 and 15th at the World Championships in Doha. Earlier this year the 27-year-old improved his half marathon PB to 1:00:53 in Padua. Born in Eritrea but living in Italy since 2004, Faniel is coached by Italian former marathon runner Ruggero Pertile.

“I knew that I could run a good race, but I was not sure that I would be able to win against such great athletes,” said Faniel. “I am now training hard in preparation for the Seville Marathon in February.”

LEADING RESULTS

Women

1 Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (KEN) 15:30

2 Netsanet Gudeta (ETH) 15:31

3 Gloria Kite (KEN) 15:32

4 Mercy Cherono (KEN) 15:38

5 Alemitu Tariku (ETH) 16:00

Men

1 Eyob Faniel (ITA) 28:21

2 Telahun Bekele (ETH) 28:28

3 Amos Kipruto (KEN) 28:37

4 Albert Chemutai (UGA) 28:50

5 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 28:54

The post Kenyan Chelimo equals course record in Italy appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 1 -The anticipated clash between Kenya’s world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich and Ethiopia’s Helen Bekele Tola at the Madrid’s San Silvestre Vallecana 10km run didn’t disappoint.

Sandwiched between a large pack of men, the two women were evenly matched for the first three kilometres which they covered in 8:56, clearly ahead of Portugal’s Carla Salomé Rocha (9:20) and Uganda’s late addition to the field Juliet Chekwel (9:24),

Chepngetich, who had declared at the pre-race press conference that she was not yet in the same kind of form which led her to the gold medal in Doha, could not follow in the Ethiopian’s footsteps before reaching halfway (14:50 vs 14:54); by then Rocha kept her four-second margin on the Ugandan (15:29/15:33).

In the second half, 25-year-old Tola managed to extend her lead to eight seconds with about two kilometres to go while Rocha also widened her advantage on Chekwel to another eight seconds.

Tola confirmed her supremacy during the uphill closing section and romped home in 30:50, the fourth fastest time ever recorded at this race. Meanwhile, Rocha completed the podium more than a minute behind the winner (31:52) but 21 seconds clear of Chekwel.

“I have beaten the recent world champion and that’s great for me,” said Tola, who is based in Geneva where she is coached by Tesfaye Eticha. “I feel in great shape and look forward to running under 2:20 in Tokyo in March.”

-Leading results-

Women

1 Helen Bekele Tola (ETH) 30:50

2 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 30:57

3 Carla Salomé Rocha (POR) 31:52

4 Juliet Chekwel (UGA) 32:13

5 Sara Catarina Ribeiro (POR) 32:29

Men

1 Bashir Abdi (BEL) 27:47

2 Mande Bushendich (UGA) 27:51

3 Toni Abadía (ESP) 27:56

4 Boniface Sikowo (UGA) 28:04

5 Hamid Ben Daoud (ESP) 28:06

The post Chepngetich beaten in Madrid 10k run appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 1 – Record 18-time Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia have been shortlisted for the Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) Male Team of the Year 2019 ahead of the gala to be hosted in Mombasa on January 24.

Gor Mahia, who are a regular nominee, will battle it out with the national men’s basketball team, KCB Rugby Club, Bandari FC and Tennis Beach team.

On their part Gor, successfully defended the KPL title with three matches to go, to win back-to-back title and a record 18th with 75 points when the league ended in May before the news season started in August.

K’Ogalo also became the first Kenyan team to reach the CAF Confederation Cup Quarter finals stage after finishing second in Group D with nine points jointly with Zamalek who had a better goal difference.

To add on the league crown, Gor also won the KPL Super Cup after beating Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Shield winners Bandari 1-0 in the 2019/20 KPL pre-season opener.

For Bandari, they reclaimed the FKF Shield after beating Kariobangi Sharks in the finals before reached the playoff round in the CAF Confederation Cup for the first time ever and will be hoping to win the award at their home tough in Mombasa.

The Mombasa-based side also reached the final of the SportPesa Cup, losing 1-0 to Kariobangi Sharks in the finals.

Other nominated team  is the Morans who will be hoping their exploits this year will give them a high chance of being named the Team of the Year.

The team that reached the final of the inaugural FIBA AfroCan tournament in Bamako, Mali will, however, face stiff competition from other men teams that also did extremely well this year.

En-route to the final which they lost 61-82 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morans had beaten some of the top sides in the group stages.

Among some of the outstanding results they registered include beating Nigeria 81069 in the group stages, beating Ivory Coast 85-83 in the round of 16 before beating another top side Tunisia 85-83 in the quarter-finals.

Before going to Mali for the tournament, Morans had made history by beating Egypt in the Zone 5 tournament where they finished top to secure the ticket to play at the FIBA AfroCan tournament.

KCB RFC who were close to winning the team of the year last year, will be hoping it will be second time lucky for them this year.

Apart from successfully defending the Kenya Cup crown for the third year in a row, where they lost only once, the Curtis Olago coached side also retained the Floodlit tournament for the third year in a row. They also won the National Sevens Series Circuit.

The beach team won bronze at the African Beach Games and was also the first Team to qualify for African Beach Games apart from being the first male beach tennis Team in Kenya.

Apart from Safaricom as the title sponsor, this year’s gala has also been sponsored by the County Government of Mombasa, Kenya Pipeline, Communication Authority of Kenya, New KCC, Lapfund, Kenya Power, UBA Bank, Nairobi Bottlers, Kenya Ports Authority, NHIF, NSSF, Kenya Tourism Board and GOtv.

-Nominees-

1. Gor Mahia (Football)
2. Morans (Basketball)
3. KCB RCF (Rugby)
4. Tennis Beach team (Tennis)
5. Bandari FC (Football)

The post Gor, Bandari in SOYA Team of the Year shortlist appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 – Global betting company Betway Kenya on Friday announced Timothy M’Kuciana as the new millionaire in town after winning Ksh10 million on an 8-leg Multi Bet.

M’Kuciana started the New Year with lady luck after using Betway’s Live in Play feature to predict all matches correct staking with Ksh 83 on his 8-leg Multi Bet on basketball games to achieve this monumental win.

Live in Play offers customers a diverse range of markets on events including football, tennis, basketball, ice hockey and many more.

Because Live in Play events are in progress, the odds constantly and consistently update to allow customers the chance bet on shock outcomes, big comebacks and more.

“I am very excited after winning. I would never have imagined that this would have been my luck but am happy all the same. It is a great start to the New Year. I will decide on how best to use this money but am keen on putting it into activities that will improve my life as well as that of my family,’’ said M’Kuciana.

As one of the most popular sports betting brands in the country, Betway Kenya has rewarded many of its registered customers with great giveaways through its various promotions.

The recently concluded December Wishlist promo for example, saw winners walk away with Smart TVs, cookers and fuel vouchers among other prizes.

“We at Betway would like to congratulate Timothy on his win and encourage the rest of our players to continue betting with us. As a brand we endeavour to give our customers the best gaming experience through our various platforms and we would like to wish our customers a happy and prosperous 2020,’’ said Betway Country Manager Leon Kiptum.

Betway Kenya recently launched its new eSport feature. ESports (Electronic Sports) is a form of sport competition that features a range of different team-based and solo video games.

Most commonly, eSports takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, especially between professional players.

The post Lucky Kenyan wins Betway’s Ksh 10mn Multi Bet appeared first on Capital Sports.

MILAN, Italy, Jan 3 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic warned Friday he was not back at AC Milan just to act as a mascot and immediately got off the mark for his new club by scoring in a friendly against a local lower league side.

“I’m ready, I feel more than alive, I hope to play immediately,” the 38-year-old told a press conference in Milan before scoring and setting up another in a 9-0 friendly win later in the day over fifth-division Rhodense.

“I’m not here as a mascot. I’m looking for the last bit of adrenaline I might have. At my age you’re not looking for anything else but a challenge.

“I have not lost my passion for what I do.”

Ibrahimovic has signed a six-month contract worth 3.5 million euros ($3.9 million) with the option for an additional season, seven years after he left Milan for Paris Saint-Germain.

Hundreds of fans waited outside the club’s Casa Milan headquarters to catch a glimpse of the returning hero who helped the fallen Italian giants win their 18th and last Serie A title in 2011.

He greeted them holding the number 21 jersey aloft, having worn the number 11 during his previous spell at the club.

“I got more requests now than when I was 28,” said Ibrahimovic, who parted company with MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy in October.

“I wanted adrenaline and at Milan you can’t say no. It’s a club I love, in 2012 I didn’t want to leave.”

His first league game could be against Sampdoria on Monday at the San Siro.

“I want to feel the grass and the atmosphere of the stadium, if they boo the adrenaline will increase, and at the end of the game they will applaud.”

Ibrahimovic scored 56 goals in 85 appearances in his first spell at Milan, and scored more Serie A goals for the club (42) than anyone else in the last decade.

– ‘Make the difference’ –

One of the most successful clubs in the world, the seven-times European champions languish 11th in the Serie A table, 14 points away from Champions League football and just seven away from the relegation zone.

Club legend Paolo Maldini contacted the Swede after he left LA Galaxy and the calls intensified after a 5-0 loss to Atalanta, their heaviest defeat in 21 years.

“After Atalanta I got lots and lots of calls, it wasn’t a difficult decision in the end,” continued Ibrahimovic.

© AFP

‘IZ Back’ – Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped AC Milan win their last Serie A title in 2011.

© AFP MARCO BERTORELLO

Ibrahimovic said that going to the United States after his career-threatening knee injury at Manchester United had refuelled his passion.

“A year ago (former AC Milan sporting director) Leonardo had looked for me but I still didn’t feel ready to make a difference in Italy.

“I only had one MLS championship in my legs after the injury. Now I feel alive, more than alive,” continued the Swede, who scored 53 goals in 58 games for LA Galaxy.

“Things need to be improved on the pitch and that’s why I’m here.

“I know perfectly well that I can’t play like when I was 28 or 35, but smart players know how to manage themselves — you can run less and shoot more from 40 metres.”

With 116 games for Sweden and 62 goals, Ibrahimovic is the all-time leading scorer for the Swedish national team.

He started his career at Malmo before going on to play for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG and Manchester United, winning trophies with all these clubs.

Milan chief football officer Zvonimir Boban warned that the club would not just be counting on Ibrahimovic.

“We must not hide behind the broad shoulders of Zlatan Ibrahimovic,” said Boban.

“We hope the course of the season will change and are optimistic about the effect he will have on the team and the environment, but we need results.”

The post Ibrahimovic off the mark in AC Milan friendly appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 – The Motor Sports Personality of the Year 2019 will be announced January 11 during the annual awards ceremony to be hosted in Nairobi.

The occasion will also fete champions in respective disciplines of the “man and machine” sport.

Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) has already confirmed all the 2019 champions following the cancellation of season-closing KCB Guru Nanak Rally in December last year.

The name of the Motor Sports Personality is usually concealed and only revealed on the awards ceremony.

Among those to be feted are KCB Bank Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) overall winners Baldev Singh Chager and co-driver Ravi Soni.

Chager wrapped up the 2019 KNRC season with a cumulative total of 162 points, 20 clear of the 2018 champion Carl “Flash” Tundo.

The much-anticipated homestretch showdown between Chager and Tundo came a cropper when inclement weather prompted organizers to call off the Sikh Union round at the last minute.  This resulted into the championship being decided on a cumulative total of seven rounds instead of eight.

Rising stars Ammar “bushy” Haq and Victor Okundi will be feted as the new Division One Champions after dislodging their Mombasa Motor Club (MMC) stalemates Sohanjeet Puee and Adnan Din who retained KNRC Group S honors.

Dareen Miranda and his co-driver Wayne Fernandes will receive their awards as the new KNRC Two Wheel Drive Champions.

Chana sibling Jasmeet and Ravi who drove in the KNRC Premier Class this season clinched the KNRC Group N honors.

Ammar said: “This Division 1 championship has come quite early in my rallying career being my third full KNRC season. It wipes the sweat off the brows of my service crew, my sponsors, family and fans who have supported me through this tough season.

It was not an easy contest and tip my hat off to my fellow Division 1 drivers who were quite worthy contenders. This sets the bar quite high for me as my fans and sponsors will have higher expectations for me. Thanks to my navigator Victor Okundi for calling the note on point!! Can’t wait for 2020 to kick up more dust!!”

Issa Amwari and Shameer Yusuf are the new KNRC Division 2 drivers and navigators Champions. Issa’s navigator Job Njiru, who is also the Director, Customer Experience at KCB Bank Group, finished second in the championship after skipping KCB Eldoret Rally.

In Job’s absence, Minesh Rathod’s navigator (Shameer) took advantage of the honors in Division 2 class.

Issa savored his carer first title and will this season be promoted to KNRC Division One following his brilliant performance in 2019 which saw him rack up fourth overall place on Eldoret Rally.

“It feels good to finally lay hands on the 2019 division 2 championship and seventh overall in KNRC I couldn’t have made it if it wasn’t for my navigators Job Njiru and Mwangi Waithaka,” said Issa.

Physically challenged driver Nikhil Sachania will be back in the Awards ceremony to collect the KNRC SPV (Specially Prepared Vehicles) championship title for the umpteenth time along with his partner Deep Patel.

Nikhil, who is the 2014 Motor Personality winner, clinched the 2019 SPV championship behind the wheels of a hand-controlled SPV Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10.

Geoff Mayes and his partner Suzanne Zwager will be rewarded for their exploits as the new KNRC Division 3 drivers and navigators Champions, a career first following a spirited run in their Land Rover Tomcat.

The Kenya National Karting Championship has new winners in Myles Imbaya (60cc Comer Class) and William Kim (Junior Rotax).

The KCB National Autocross Championship which traversed various tracks across the country has seven champions in Zameer Verjee (2WD NT), Kunal Patel (2WD T), Sahib Omar (4WD T), Imran Hakada (Open Class), Wayne Fernandes (Quad Class), Yuvraj Rajput (Bambino), and Tsorav Soni (Pee Wee).

Ross Field and his co-driver Robbie Calder emerged the Kenya National Rally Raid prototype car champions in their ‘monster’ CTR machine while Joost Zuubier and Rosaline Zuurbier took the honours the Modified Car class champions.

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