Nominees whitled to five in each category ahead of Friday’s sports gala
By evans.maritim, January 18, 2023
The 2022 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) shortlist has been trimmed to the final five ahead of the gala night event to be in three days’ time, on the 20th of January, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Last year’s SOYA winners 100m star, Ferdinand Omanyala and 1500m Olympic champion, Faith Kipyegon headline the list in the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year nominees. Omanyala will battle it out with marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, 800m Olympic and World champion, Emmanuel Korir, boxer Nick ‘Commander’ Okoth and rally star Karan Patel.
In the corresponding women’s category, Kipyegon will face it off with history-maker tennis sensational, Angela Okutoyi, who won a first-ever grand slam title for Kenya, Commonwealth Games champion, Mary Moraa, her 5000m counterpart, Beatrice Chebet and golfer, Naomi Wafula.
Serah Wangari, Beryl Wamira and Linnet Fwamba will face it off with para-lifter Hellen Wawira and last year’s winner of the Sportswoman Living with a Disability, renowned paralympian, Nancy Chelangat.
The 19th edition of the SOYA gala makes a comeback to the capital city from the county editions held in Mombasa, Naivasha and Kakamega. The Communication Authority of Ke- nya (CA), the Kenya Pipeline Corpo- ration (KPC), Lotto Foundation, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Safaricom PLC and the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) are a majority of the sponsors who have partnered with SOYA to ensure our sportsmen and women who hoist the Kenyan flag up high in the local and international are indeed celebrated for a job well done.
The men’s list of the Sportsman Living with a disability category has Deaflympians Symon Kibai, who is the de- fending champion, golfer Isaac Makokha, Ian Wambui, Lucas Wandia and wheel- chair athlete Wesley Sang.
The top five for the Most Promising Boy category are: World Under-20 champion, Reynold Kipkorir, rally driver, Karamveer Singh, golfer Andrew Wahome, weight lifter Joshua Amunga and Judoka, David Katana. For the Most Promising Girl category, the nominees are: basketballer Me d i n a O k ot , weightlifter Rachel Achieng, Commonwealth Games champion, Jack- line Chepkoech, 3000m champion Betty Chelangat and 3000m Steeple- chase champion Faith Cherotich in the World Under-20 championships held in Cali, Co- Colombia.
Dennis Mwanja of Kenya Lionesses (Rugby) battles it out for the Coach of the Year award alongside Japheth Munala of KCB women’s volleyball, Para-lifter tactician, David Waore, Sammy Kiki of KPA men’s basketball and his counterpart Anthony Ojukwu