The Kenya women’s national rugby team, the Lionesses were crowned 2017 Women’s Sports Team of the Year at the SoYA Awards Gala Night at the Kenyatta International Convention Center on Wednesday 17 January 2018. The side staved off competition from the women’s national volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, Telkom Kenya hockey team as well as the Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline volleyball teams.
The Lionesses reached the cup quarterfinals at the 2017 Women’s Sevens World Series qualifiers in Hong Kong and also qualified for the 2018 Commonwealth Games rugby sevens competition after a narrow 12-17 loss to South Africa at September’s Women’s Africa Cup Sevens cup final in Tunisia.
Current Kenya Cup & Enterprise Cup champions KCB were second runners up in the men’s category while East Africa Schools Sevens champions Muhuru Muchiri won the Boys School Team Of The Year Award . The team’s coach, Kikechi Kombo claimed the School Coach of the Year award.
Darwin Mukidza and Sinaida Aura missed out on individual accolades in the men’s and women’s sports personality of the year categories to overall winners Conseslus Kipruto (men) and Hellen Obiri (women) while KCB Head Coach Curtis Olago and Lionesses Head Coach Kevin Wambia were beaten to the Coach of the Year Award by Kenya U19 Cricket Head Coach Jimmy Kamande.
2017 SOYA AWARDS WINNERS
SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Samuel Muchai (Paralympics, Athletics)
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
1. Conseslus Kipruto (Athletics)
2. Elijah Manangoi (Athletics)
3. Geoffrey Kirui (Athletics)
SPORTS WOMAN OF THE YEAR
1. Hellen Obiri (Athletics)
2. Faith Chepngetich (Athletics)
3. Edith Kiplagat (Athletics)
SPORTSMAN LIVING WITH DISABILITY
Samuel Muchai (Paralympics, Athletics)
SPORTS WOMAN LIVING WITH DISABILITY
Beryl Wamira (Deaflympics, athletics)
SPORTS TEAM (MEN)
National under 19 Cricket team
SPORTS TEAM (WOMEN)
National Rugby team (Kenya Lionesses)
MOST PROMISING ATHLETE (BOYS)
Aman Gandhi (Cricket)
MOST PROMISING ATHLETE (GIRLS)
Jacqueline Wambui (Athletics)
FEDERATION OF THE YEAR
ATHLETICS KENYA
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jimmy Kamande (Cricket)
MOST OUTSTANDING ATHLETE (BOYS)
Emmanuel Ndonga (Swimming)
MOST OUTSTANDING ATHLETE (GIRL)
Faith Nyabera (Tennis)
SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR
Kikechi Kombo (Muhuru Muchiri)
SCHOOL TEAM OF THE YEAR (BOYS)
1. Muhuri Muchiri (Rugby 7s)
2. Laiser Hill (Rugby 15s)
3. Kisumu Day (Hockey)
SCHOOL TEAM OF THE YEAR (GIRLS)
Wiyeta Girls Secondary School
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Stephen Muchoki (Boxing)
Allan Thigo (Football)
COMMUNITY HERO
Rosemary Aluoch “Kadwaro” (Football)
