Motego, Kamworor among sports stars feted on Mashujaa Day
Geoffrey Kamworor crosses the finish line to win the Copenhagen Marathon in a world record time of 58 minutes and one second on September 15, 2019.
What you need to know:
- Samson Ojuka was feted for winning gold in 100m during the 2020 World para athletics championships in Morocco.
- The rest are veteran boxers Kenneth Ochieng and Omar Ahmed, wrester Eric Walucho, body builder Pius Ochieng, netballers Milkah Nyatichi and Ann William, footballer George Waweru, cricketer Kennedy Otieno, footballer Peter Lichungu, and basketballer Lilian Salome.
Thirty former and current sportsmen and women were recognised in Tuesday’s Mashujaa Day celebrations held at the Gusii Stadium, Kisii County.
As expected, former footballer Henry Motego, who hails from Kisii is among the athletes who were honoured for their contribution in making Kenya famous while in the national team colours.
Motego, 56, who is currently a manager at the sports department in Kisii County government, played for Harambee Stars between 1986 and 2005.
He also featured in the 1988 and 1990 Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco and Algeria respectively.
Top players
Elijah Onsika, Hezekiah Nyamao and Evans Bosire are the other veteran athletes from Kisii who were honoured. Onsika was part of the Harambee Stars squad that competed in the Africa Cup of Nations held in Senegal. He coached the Under-19 national youth team, and presently is the director of a Kisii based sports academy.
Bosire is currently the Athletics Kenya Public Relation officer. He is also the principal of Keroka Technical Institute, which under his leadership, has produced many top players. Nyamao is remembered for winning silver and gold medals in 4x400m relay in the 1968 and 1971 Olympic Games held in Mexico and Germany respectively.
Francis Musyoki from Makueni is the other relay athlete who was honoured in the event. He won gold medal in the 1973 Africa Games held in Nigeria, and the 1974 Commonwealth Games that took place in New Zealand.
Multiple world cross country and half marathon record holder Geoffrey Kamworor was also recognised.
He won the 2014 World Half marathon championship in Denmark, 2015 world cross country championship in Guiyang, China, 2017 World Cross Country championship in Kampala and 2018 World Half marathon in Valencia, Spain.
Other athletes honoured are Henry Rono, who participated in the 1978 Commonwealth Games, and was the first African to break five world records within two hours.
Cricketer Kennedy Otieno
Other are Kenya Lioness player Philadelphia Orlando, who was named the 2010 Most Valuable Player, Elynah Sifuna who is a former international hockey player, two time volleyball Olympian Judith Serenge and Hellen Wawira, who won gold in the 2020 power-lifting competition in Nigeria.
The para-athletes who were honoured include Hanah Ngendo, who won two gold medals in 1500m and 800m in the 2019 Africa Deaf Championships and Koros Edith Jepkoech, who participated in the 2017 World Deaf Handball games in Brazil and the 2019 Africa Deaf Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
Mercy Mideva was honoured for being the most valuable deaf basketball player, and best player of the year for Rongai deaf basketball team.
Samson Ojuka was feted for winning gold in 100m during the 2020 World para athletics championships in Morocco.
The rest are veteran boxers Kenneth Ochieng and Omar Ahmed, wrester Eric Walucho, body builder Pius Ochieng, netballers Milkah Nyatichi and Ann William, footballer George Waweru, cricketer Kennedy Otieno, footballer Peter Lichungu, and basketballer Lilian Salome.
