Kenya reign supreme in athletics
What you need to know:
- Uganda finished second with 34 medals while Tanzania were placed third with 15 medals as Zanzibar and Rwanda failed to win any medal
- Kenyan girls bagged a total of 18 medals, seven gold, five silver and six bronze to wrestle the crown from Uganda
- The Kenyan boys once again dominated the track and field events to retain their trophy
IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Kenya Friday snatched the overall athletics title at this year's East Africa Secondary Schools Games here at the Sheikh Abeid Memorial Stadium.
Kenya topped the standings with a total of 39 medals as Uganda finished second with 34 medals. Tanzania were placed third with 15 medals as Zanzibar and Rwanda, who failed to win any medal were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
Kenyan girls bagged a total of 18 medals, seven gold, five silver and six bronze to wrestle the crown from Uganda, who had reduced them to second best the previous year. Uganda finished with six gold, eight silver and four bronze, while hosts Tanzania took two gold, two silver and five bronze medals.
The Kenyan boys once again dominated the track and field events to retain their trophy. They won 11 gold, six silver and four bronze medals, while Uganda who finished second, grabbed four gold, six silver and six bronze with Tanzania completing the podium after bagging six medals.
In boys' hockey, Friends School Kamusinga reclaimed the regional crown after dethroning rivals St Anthony's Boys Kitale 1-0 in the final. Shadrack Kipkoech scored the winning goal in the 57th minute.
Elsewhere, Kaya Tiwi Secondary School secured bronze for Kenya in girls' basketball. The 2016 champions saw off compatriots Buruburu Girls Secondary School 44-43 in the play-off match at the Arusha Accountancy College basketball courts on Friday.
It's Kaya's third straight bronze at this competition. Uganda's St Noa Secondary School and St Mary's Kitende will face off in Saturday's final. Kenya's Laiser Hill Academy missed out on the boys' bronze as they went down 82-69 to Lycee Du Kigali (LDK) at the same venue.
Newcomers Dagoretti High School will play in their maiden basketball final on Saturday against Uganda's Buddo Secondary School. Upper Hill School were the last Kenyan side to win the boys' basketball final in 2013 when the games were held in Lira, Uganda.
Dagoretti captain Churchill Odongo is confident they can end the country's drought for the basketball crown.
"We have improved with each game and we are hungry to get the title because we have so many good players in the squad," he said.
In the boys' handball final, Kenya's Kimilili Boys lost 23-17 to champions Adegi Secondary School from Rwanda.
