Burundi to host next Feasssa Games as Uganda retain overall title
Cheptil Boys High School players celebrate with the title after winning the volleyball title during the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association Games in Arusha on September 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Feasssa president Justus Mugisha revealed that Rwanda would be standby host in case their neighbours fail to host the annual competition.
- Mugisha also confirmed that the top two teams in every discipline have qualified for the World Secondary School Games to be held next year.
In Arusha, Tanzania
Burundi will host the 2023 edition of the Federation of the East Africa Secondary School Sports Association (Feasssa) Games, organisers have announced.
Feasssa president Justus Mugisha revealed that Rwanda would be standby host in case their neighbours fail to host the annual competition.
Speaking during Friday’s closing ceremony of the 19th edition here at Sheikh Abeid Karume Stadium in Arusha, Mugisha lauded hosts Tanzania for staging a successful event.
“After a two year hiatus, the Feasssa championships returned with a bang and we have enjoyed out stay here in Tanzania. It feels good to be back in action after the pandemic prevented us from meeting for two years,” Mugisha said.
The administrator further revealed that rugby sevens for girls will be introduced in the 2023 event and urged member countries to prepare teams for the discipline.
Mugisha also confirmed that the top two teams in every discipline have qualified for the World Secondary School Games to be held next year.
International School Sport Federation (ISF) president Laurent Petrynka, who graced the championship in Arusha, said the body will provide some funding to help teams take part in the global championships.
“We are impressed with the large number of students in this competition and as ISF, this is encouraging because sets an example to other regions to learn and copy,” Petrynka said.
Over 2500 students from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the hosts took part in the eight-day competition that were last held in 2019, also in Arusha.
Uganda defended the overall team title after winning 41 medals - 18 gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze. Kenya, who last won the title in 2018, were placed second once against with 20 medals (five gold, 12 silver and three bronze).
Rwanda finished third with two gold, two silver and four bronze, as hosts Tanzania wound up fourth with one silver and five bronze medals.
Burundi and South Sudan did not take part in this year’s edition. A dominant Uganda won gold in football, basketball 5x5 and 3x3, rugby sevens and 15s, badminton, netball, hockey, table tennis, athletics(girls), swimming (boys) and lawn tennis (boys).
Team Kenya, which has for years won the overall title, will need to go back to the drawing board after relinquishing some of its specialties like hockey and rugby sevens and 15s. Since the inception of the games in 2002, Kenya had never lost the boys’ hockey title.
Uganda’s Kakungulu Memorial won gold to end Kenya’s dominance in the sport at the regional level.
Friends School Kamusinga, who were the defending champions, won bronze. On the plus, Kenya reclaimed the boys’ volleyball title it last won in 2016 in Eldoret.
Football success continues to be elusive as Highway Secondary School and Wiyeta Secondary suffered heartbreak in the boys’ and girls’ final.
