Five Kenya teams storm semis
Shimba Hills’ Taudencia Katumbi (with ball) goes for a basket against Aga Khan High during the Coast Secondary schools basketball finals in Wundanyi. Shimba Hills have qualified for the semi-finals of the regional games in Bujumbura. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU
What you need to know:
- Malava and Cheptil lead hunt for regional honours in Burundi
It was definitely Kenya’s day of glory here when five teams qualified for the semi-finals in their specialties as the East Africa Secondary Schools Games enter the penultimate stage on Friday.
Malava (girls’ volleyball), Cheptil (boys and girls’ volleyball), St. Anthony (boys’ football) and Shimba Hills (girls’ basketball) made the qualification as they aim to claim rightful ownership of their respective titles.
On their way to the semis, St Anthony from Kitale lost only once their four group matches and won three times; including the 5-2 triumph over St. Edwards of Uganda 5- 2 in their final pool ‘B’ match on Thursday.
The team, which is the only Kenyan side to have lifted the regional title (in 2002), now, has its eyes fixed on that elusive medal.
Football hopes alive
Godian Mukolwe and Dennis Nandwa scored twice each, as Albert Okumu put the match beyond the Ugandans, as they aim to break the jinx that has befell Kenyan football teams in these games.
Since the 2002 win, no other Kenyan side has ever won the title, 11 years on.
The closest a Kenyan side has ever come to the title was Mombasa High School, when they settled for silver in the 2006 games held in Dar es Salaam.
“We were the last team to have won the title and it would really be a good thing if we won it this year,” Nandwa remarked in a post-match interview.
Kenya’s second boys’ football representatives, Upper Hill, needed to win their tie against six-time champions St Mary’s Kitende of Uganda last evening, for a semi-final slot.
Needed a huge favour
Their sisters, Olympic High School’s fate too, wasn’t in their hands. They were relying on the outcome of two other matches for their qualification.
For a slot in Friday's semis, Olympic needed their compatriots, Tartar to do the needful against St. Mary’s Kitende of Uganda and Sobat of South Sudan not to concede more than four goals.
If that were to come to pass, then Maurice Okumu’s side will qualify as runners-up in Pool ‘A’.
The debutants had defeated Ecotec of Rwanda 3-2 in their final Pool ‘A’ meet.
In girls’ basketball, national champions Shimba Hills beat Ngosi of Burundi 89- 27 in their final preliminary match to qualify as Pool ‘A’ winners, while Kerugoya beat rivals Kapkolei 1-0 in girls’ hockey as they flattered with the thoughts of a title defence.
