Starlets, Orange up for Soya Team of the Year award

The national women’s team Harambee Starlets will face stiff competition from hockey team Telkom Orange in the battle for the top prize in the Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards set to be held on January 20.

The Starlets enjoyed a splendid 2016, making a maiden appearance at the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) tournament in Cameroon yet Orange matched them toe to toe who clinched a record 19th title this year.

The continental hockey queens have been unbeatable in the national league over the years and they will be hoping to also make the podium positions, if not winning the women team of the year crown.

Last year, Orange claimed their eighth – and fourth consecutive – Africa Hockey Club Championships title after beating Ghana Police 3-2 on post-match penalties in the final played in Lusaka, Zambia and are on the verge of making it five after qualifying to the semis this year.

Apart from qualifying for AWCON, Starlets had also reached the final of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) final in Uganda in September which they unfortunately lost 2-1 to Tanzania.

Apart from Starlets and Telkom, other teams that are in contention are Roll Ball national team and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) basketball team.

Nairobi Water handball team who have also been a force to reckon with in the national league are also fighting for the top prize together with the national Under-23 volleyball team.

KPA won the FIBA Zone Five club championships in Tanzania successfully defending the title they won the previous year.

They are also unbeaten in the league and are in the play-offs to determine the team that will play in the final match to determine the league champions.

On the other hand, the Roll ball team won the 3rd Roll ball World Cup after beating India 2-1 in the decider in their debut.

Meanwhile, Nairobi Water won the national handball league with an unbeaten record and also finished fifth at the Africa Club Championships in Burkina Faso.

They also won the East and Central Africa Handball championships after winning all their matches in the competition played at Nyayo Stadium in December.

The National Under-23 volleyball team, also known as the Malkia Strikers juniors finished second in the African Under-23 championships which was used to pick a teams for the 2017 World Championships in Slovenia.

By virtue of finishing second to Egypt, the Kenyans still booked a slot to represent Africa in Slovenia together with the North Africans.