Kitale Wrestling Club now tops the Kenya Amateur Wrestling Association ( KAWA) National League after the first leg that was played at Kamiti Social Hall, Nairobi on Saturday, 28th February.
Speaking after the competition on the very same day, Kitale’s head coach Winrose Alividza expressed her intentions to win this season saying that her idea is to stretch her opponents by opening up the point gap, eventually making it impossible to catch by the time we get to September this year.
” It’s an honor to win the national league. It’s the greatest feeling for any player or coach and I want it, after I do it, I also want to win with my girls at the national team as we head to Dakar for the youth Olympics,” retorted Alividza, a former national and regional heavyweight champion in Africa.
Alividza’s Kitale Wrestling Club now lead the table standings with 20 points, followed closely by Prisons Service Training College ( PSTC) at 18 points, while another club, Wataalam Wrestling Club, coached by former national and 2023 Africa Beach Wrestling bronze medalist, Mark Omumasaba lie third with 17 points as a traveling Naivasha Wrestling Club finished fourth with a paltry 14 points.
KAWA’S Secretary General Erick Walucho was pleased with the turn out, but cautioned the youngsters to work even harder as his main objective now lies with them qualifying for the Youth Olympics in Dakar, later in the year in October.
A total of ten schools , led by Friends School Sirende from Kitale, St. Emmanuel, Naivasha Day Secondary School, Spinners Secondary School, GK Primary School (Naivasha), Suswa Girls Secondary School, Githunguri Primary School, Ruiru Boys Secondary School, Githiga Girls Secondary School and Milimani Primary School (Naivasha) took part in the first leg of the National League.
In the School Girls, 13 years old Category, Mercy Ingwesi took top honors while her name sake Margaret Ingwesi was second, though it was a different story in the Boys Category of Under 15 Years when a resilient Arnold Otieno won Gold, followed by Ernest Kamunya at Silver and Aggrey Omari Bronze.
The most coveted Cadet Girls Category, 65 kgs, saw Janet Ingwesi win it, as Jemima Wanjala was second and Droviler Ashley, third-tough young women that are expected to qualify for the Dakar Showdown in October, as well as Dan Kegode who won the same category of the boys 65 kgs, with teammates Calvin Nyatuka and Calvin Wangila coming in at second and third respectively.
The senior category 57kg men, was a showdown for uprising Brighton Tobessy to win, Samuel Mumo was second and Julius Kilonzi, third, while Alex Meja clearly dominated the 65kg men Seniors, condemning Eugene Osale to second place and Benson Njoroge finishing the podium.
In the Ladies 70kg Seniors, prodigy Faith Wamalwa took it by force as Jane Anamboka had no choice, but to play second fiddle, although in the same category of the men’s 70kg Seniors, national team veteran Kenneth Koech showed all intentions of retaining his position by defeating Collins Barasa and putting him second.
The men’s 79kg Seniors has always been a pull, push and shove that has this time round seen, Nairobi City born athlete James Omwange claim top honors over veteran Brian Oloo, while seasoned stalwart Mathayo Mahabila claimed the 86kg men Seniors, Evans Wafula was second in this one.
There was a slight shift of balance in the heavyweight, 97kg men Seniors when newbie Lucas Wafula won the category, with Manasseh Ngila coming in second and Evans Rioba taking the third position, but the shot stopper , nerve breaker of the event was the Men’s 125kg Senior Category.
It was a battle Royale between Joel Tukai and Dan Aura, as the two big men breathed heavily, with toil, blood and sweat making it to the last gasp of air that saw Tukai win on points, a disappointing afternoon for Aura who came in second, as Dan Moseti finished third.
