Nairobi Water retain league title, eye regional crown
What you need to know:
After retaining their Kenya Handball Federation women’s league title, Nairobi Water turn their attention on the East and Central Africa Club Championship that gets underway on Sunday at the Nyayo Stadium handball court.
Nairobi Water beat arch-rivals Kenya Defence Forces 27-23 in their final fixture on Thursday night to win their fourth successive title ending the season unbeaten.
Forward Gladys Chilo, Brenda Ariviza, and Sharon Kisengi scored five goals each for Water in the closely contested match.
After retaining their Kenya Handball Federation women’s league title, Nairobi Water turn their attention on the East and Central Africa Club Championship that gets underway on Sunday at the Nyayo Stadium handball court.
Nairobi Water beat arch-rivals Kenya Defence Forces 27-23 in their final fixture on Thursday night to win their fourth successive title ending the season unbeaten.
Forward Gladys Chilo, Brenda Ariviza, and Sharon Kisengi scored five goals each for Water in the closely contested match.
Water coach Jack Ochieng wants his charges to replicate their form at the regional competition, where there are the defending champions.
“Hardwork and discipline has carried us through another successful season and we want to end the year on a high by also retaining the regional title, Ochieng said.
Thirteen teams have confirmed participation to the annual competition, which Water will be aiming to win for a third time. Kenya will field six clubs among them Kenya Defence Forces (men and women), National Cereals and Produce Board (men and women) and Black Mamba (men).
Men’s defending champions Rwanda Police and compatriots APR men’s team will also grace the 28th edition of the competition.
Other clubs expected include Zanzibar’s Nyuki (men), Tanzania’s Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa (men and women) as well as Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Police, who won the title in 2014, and compatriots Heritage.
The last edition in 2015 was held in Rwanda. Kenya will be hosting the annual event for the second time having first hosted it in 2014. The 2015 edition recorded a poor turnout with only six clubs- three men and three women- taking part.
Rwanda Police finished top with four points, after securing maximum points in their two matches with Mamba claiming silver, after finishing on two points with APR finishing third with no points.
Nairobi Water claimed their second title after finishing ahead of Rwanda’s Ecole Secondaire Mukingi and University of Rwanda College of Education at the Kimisagara Youth Sports Centre, Kigali.
The national champions beat ES University 42-26 and Mukingi 33-18 to complete another successful competition.
NCPB were the last local men’s team to win the title back in 2012. Teams were expected to arrive on Friday evening with the draws to be conducted on Saturday.
