The second list of the multi-discipline award ceremony to be released has been the women’s team of the year top five nominees and it is not short of great achievements
This year’s Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) awards will take place on 23 February in Nairobi with selectors of the various winners currently deep in work to award the best for their exploits.
The second list of the multi-discipline award ceremony to be released has been the women’s team of the year top five nominees and it is not short of great achievements.
Boasting African champions Malkia Strikers and their 3x3 national team, the list also has the national Roll Ball team; world champions, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), and Nairobi Water handball team.
The roll ball team that, against all odds, defended their World Cup title last year, beating Egypt 5-0 in the final in Pune, India. It was Kenya’s third global victory following wins in 2015 and 2019.
The final performance rounded off a great outing for the Kenyan ladies who went through the whole tourney unbeaten after defeating Nepal 8-1, France 10-0, Sri Lanka 6-2 and Egypt 2-1 in the group stages. In the semis, the ladies put up a gallant performance to edge out Poland 1-0.
The Martin Abunde-coached women will fight for national recognition against a Malkia Strikers squad that reclaimed the Women's African Nations Championship title after eight years. Their dominant exploits saw them qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in Paris.
On their part, the 3X3 team comprising of Madina Okot, Natalie Akinyi, Mercy Wanyama and Hilda Indasi made history by winning the Africa title in the shorter version of the game against favourites Egypt.
What’s more, the quartet under the tutelage of Evelyne Kedogo dramatically clinched the title with a huge buzzer-beater from Akinyi to stay on course for Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification.
As for KPA, in addition to successfully defending the national league title, they clinched the Zone Five club championship, thrashing home side Rwanda Energy Group 87-53 in a one-sided final.
The win meant that they represented Zone Five at the inaugural FIBA Africa Women Basketball League (AWBL) where the Kenyan made history, reaching their first-ever continental semis and becoming the first Kenyan basketball side to reach the final of a continental competition, where they settled for silver following a 103-59 loss to Alexandria Sporting Club of Egypt.
Nairobi Water handball team carried on their winning ways in 2023 to win the national league title and the Super Cup as well