Basketball star Okot lights up SOYA awards list
By Charles.Thuku, December 8, 2022Budding basketball player Medina Okot, athletes Faith Cherotich, Betty Chelang’at and Jackline Chepkoech, boxer Jane Wangare and weight-lifter Rachel Achieng are the young ladies battling it out for the 2022 Sports Personality of the Year Award (SOYA) in the Most Promising Girl category.
The Communications Authority, Lotto Foundation, Kenya Pipeline, NSSF and Safaricom sponsored the 19th edition of the annual award galaslated for 20th January 2023, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
When Okot was picked among the top 60 African players to attend the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp in Cairo Egypt, it was the least surprising given that she has kept her candle aglow in the discipline. After all, Okot was an integral part of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) team that clinched the national title.
Referred to as a workaholic on the basketball court, Okot was part of Kenya’s 3×3 team at the Commonwealth Games and was a vital part of the Under-23 side that qualified for the 3×3 World championships in Romania for the first time.
Most Valuable Player
She was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Africa Qualifiers as well as the international camp in Egypt.
The lanky Okot was a joint top point hitter in Kenya’s resounding 21-8 opening victory against Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games.
Another nominee in the awards is fast-rising boxer Jane Wangare who is already causing ripples at only seventeen years.
She was named deputy captain for Team Kenya at the World Youth Boxing Championships in Alicante, Spain.
Wangare won both the national novices and intermediate in minimum weight and is touted as Kenyan Olympian Christine Ongare’s successor.
In athletics, Betty Chelang’at is a rising star who has deservedly inked her name in the nominations.
The 18-year-old won Kenya’s first gold at the World Under-20 championships in Cali by claiming victory in the women’s 3000m in 9:01.03. Chelang’at also won the trials in Nairobi in 8:51.33.
In the same sport, Faith Cherotich is also gunning for the coveted title after putting on a gallant display in global meetings. Cherotich put on a dominant display to win the World U20 3000m steeplechase in Cali.
She would then upgrade the silver she had won in Nairobi last year with a stunning display of front running as she led from start to finish to claim victory in 9:16.14.
She then finished fourth at the Brussels Diamond League meet in 9:09.63 before setting a new personal best time of 9:06.14 in Zurich.
In weightlifting, Rachael Achieng is the player to watch in the nominations.
The 17-year-old has been voted as the most improved having been declared the national champion in the women’s 64 kg class.
Achieng was the only female representative at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where she was ranked 11th after lifting a total of 155kgs with 70kgs in snatch and 85kgs in clean and jerk.