NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 8 – The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) men and women basketball coaches Sammy Kiki and Anthony Ojukwu lead the list of six nominees who are in line to battle for the Coach of the Year at the 2022 Sports Personality of the Year awards (SOYA).
Kiki guided the KPA men’s basketball team to reclaim the national title after they blew away champions Ulinzi 80-61 in Game Five to take the final Series 3-2.
The side also reached the second round of qualification for the 2023 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
On his part, Ojukwu’s women’s team clinched the national basketball title after beating former champions Equity Hawks and they also qualified for the Africa Women’s Basketball Championship in Mozambique where they finished sixth.
The KPA women’s team also reached the final of the Africa Zone Five Championship and lost to Alexandria Sports Club of Egypt, the latter going on to win the overall African title in Mozambique.
Also nominated for the coveted gong include Kenya Lionesses boss Dennis Mwanja who was named the StarTimes/Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) coach of the month for November last year.
Mwanja led the Kenya Lionesses national women’s sevens team closer to qualifying to the 2022-2023 Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series. The Lionesses claimed victories over China (17-15), South Africa (5-31), hosts Chile (5-15), thrashed Argentina 36-0 in the quarter-finals before losing to eventual winners Japan 22-15 and to China 31-5 in the battle for third place.
While in charge of the 15s team, Mwanja led them to the Africa Cup Zone B qualifying victory after wins over Zambia and hosts Uganda.
Also in line for the award is KCB Women’s Volleyball head coach Japheth Munala, who guided the team to victory at the Africa Club Championships in Tunisia, beating Egypt’s Al Ahly 3-1.
At the same time, Menengai Oilers’ coach Gibson Weru, a former Kenya Sevens international is also in line for the award having led the Nakuru-based Oilers to the 2022 National Sevens Series victory, the first ever title besides leading the team to their first Kenya Cup rugby league final which they lost to Kabras Sugar 34-28.
David Waore who coached para powerlifter Hellen Wawira at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where she handed Kenya bronze in women’s lightweight is also in line for the award.
Waore also helped Wawira and Gabriel Magu win gold and silver respectively at the St. Louis World Para Powerlifting Championships in the USA.
Wawira attributes her success to coach Waore who has been working tirelessly with her since she got into para powerlifting with other persons living with disabilities at the Steel city gymnasium.
Coach of the year nominees:
Dennis Mwanja (Rugby)
Gibson Weru (Rugby)
David Waore (Para)
Japheth Munala (Volleyball)
Sammy Kiki (Basketball)
Anthiny Ojukwu (Basketball)
