Historic Muchai wins overall SOYA title

Paralympian Samuel Muchai is the Overall Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) 2017.

Muchai, who was also named Sportsman of the Year Living with a Disability, thus became the first athlete living with disability to win the biggest prize at the annual Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

Olympic and World 3000m champion Conseslus Kipruto was named the 2017 Male Sports Personality of the Year at the glittering gala held at the Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC) in the capital Nairobi.

Olympics silver medallist and World 5000m champion Hellen Obiri took home the Female Sports Personality of the Year, an achievement she had predicted herself after enjoying a great success in 2017.

Muchai enjoyed a stellar season last year winning two gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships in London in July.

Muchai claimed gold medals in the T.11 1,500m and 5,000m at the championships to emerge as the only Kenyan gold medallist at the championships.

After finishing second in his heat, the 2016 SOYA Award winner in this category went on to win the T.11 1,500m in 4:11.5 before the T.11 5,000m title to cap off yet another supreme year.

SOYA Male Personality of the Year Kipruto made his claim as the new king of the steeplechase when he claimed his first global title in London, adding to the Olympic crown he won in Rio, Brazil.

Still only 23, Conseslus then held off Evan Jager to win the second Diamond League Trophy of his young yet decorated career.

That he achieved all these despite battling injury for most of his season makes it all the more remarkable.

Perhaps Obiri’s triumph on the night was the most obvious of all after a year that she was virtually uncatchable and one which she finally realised the target that had always stood beyond her reach; a world title.

She did it after the fourth time of asking as she sprinted away from Ethiopian former holder Almaz Ayana to win in 14:34.86 at the London worlds.

She also added the IAAF Diamond League crown by winning the second series final in Brussels in 14:25.88 as well as setting a new national record of 14:18.37 in 5,000m in Rome in June.

SOYA AWARDS WINNERS

SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Samuel Muchai (Paralympics, Athletics)

SPORTSMAN
1. Conseslus Kipruto (Athletics)
2. Elijah Manangoi (Athletics)
3. Geoffrey Kirui (Athletics)

SPORTS WOMAN
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 (BOYS)
Aman Gandhi (Cricket)

MOST PROMISING (GIRLS)
Jacqueline Wambui (Athletics)

FEDERATION OF THE YEAR
ATHLETICS KENYA

COACH OF THE YEAR
Jimmy Kamande (Cricket)

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER (BOYS)
Emmanuel Ndonga (Swimming)

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER (GIRL)
Faith Nyabera (Tennis)

SCHOOL COACH
kikechi Kombo (Muhuri Muchiri)

SCHOOL TEAM (Boys)
1. Muhuri Muchiri (Rugby 7s)
2. Laiser Hill (Rugby 15s)
3. Kisumu Day (Hockey)

SCHOOL TEAM (GIRLS)
Wiyeta Girls Secondary School

Hall of Fame
Stephen Muchoki (Boxing)

Allan Thigo (Football)

COMMUNITY HERO
Rosemary Aluoch “Kadwaro” (Football)

-More soon…