The year 2023 had its fair share of stirring stories and many came from up and coming athletes who will surely blossom on the local and international scene.
From ball games to racket games to aquatic races, here are five young Kenyans who showed a lot of promise and brought delight to fans.
Nicknamed Messi after the Argentine superstar, he was one of the stand-out performers at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two Games in Kakamega powering St Anthony’s Boys High School, Kitale to the football title.
The versatile footballer was voted the Most Valuable Player at the championship. He also impressed at the regional school games and in total, scored 25 goals during the term games.
“My icon is Lionel Messi. I got it from my friends when I was aged 10 or 11 years old because I used to dribble a lot. I play the same way as Messi, so that’s where the nickname came,” says the former pupil of Poror Primary School in Baringo and Mama Ngina Primary School in Nakuru. He honed his skills at Nakuru Youth Sports Association (NYSA).
St Anthony’s Boys High School from Rift Valley Region, their coach Peter Mayoyo (left), before their boys' football final match against and Dagoreti High School from Nairobi Region at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Term Two Ball Games at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County on August 12, 2023. St Anthony’s won 2-0.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
He was on a full scholarship at St Anthony’s and in his final year when he was spotted by scouts from Nastic Sports Academy in Barcelona after attending trials at Musingu Boys High School in Kakamega and Juja Preparatory in Kiambu.
The 17-year-old did not disappoint on his return home at the Council of East and Central Africa Football (Cecafa) Under-18 Boys’ Championship held in Kisumu and Kakamega counties from November 25 to December 8, guiding Kenya to the final where they lost 2-1 to Uganda.
Tennis sensation has been making history since 2014 when she won the Kenya Open at the age of 14 and also made debut for Kenya in Billie Jean King Cup and 2023 was another year to march on.
She is currently preparing to return to the USA on January 2 for her second year at Auburn University where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management on a full tennis scholarship.
Okutoyi turns 20 on January 29. She was the force behind Kenya clinching bronze medal at the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III at the Nairobi Club in June.
Angella Okutoyi of Kenya and Nagomi Higashitani of Japan pose with their titles after winning silver in the doubles final during the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour (W25) at the Karen Country Club, Nairobi on December 17, 2023.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
She became the first Kenyan player to win a professional singles event since Paul Wekesa achieved the feat at Andorra Challenger in 1994 after clinching W15 Monastir in Tunisia in July this year.
She closed out the year with huge performances at the W25 Nairobi Two at Nairobi Club by dominating both singles and doubles.
“I feel I have achieved differently this year. Definitely, last year had more highs from the Australian Open to Wimbledon and to the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour (W15). I feel like last year was a good year, but I also feel this year was a good year, too, in a different way.”
Okutoyi, whose tennis idol is American great Serena Williams, says winning her first professional tournament (W15 Monastir) actually showed her that she could play at this high level.
“I have actually made history this year, becoming the first woman from Kenya to win a professional tournament. I have done really well this year,” she says.
“I’m really trying to keep the Kenyan flag flying high wherever I’m going, doing my best and coming out with silverware.
At only 17 years, Mcligeyo rose to the top of local rankings on January 31, when World Chess Federation (Fide) placed him at the summit, alongside Candidate Master (CM) and veteran player-cum-coach Ben Magana.
Robert Mcligeyo ponders his next move during the third round of the 2022 Kenya National Chess Championship at Charter Hall, Nairobi on December 27, 2022.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Mcligeyo who turned 18 on June 14 has since surrendered the lead to Kenneth Omolo (2088).The teenager, who plays for giants KCB Chess Club, is targeting being a Grandmaster by the age of 25.
His Fide elo ratings is 2055. He won the final phase of the 2023 Kenya national team selection in February.
Magana who is a six-time Olympiad, Ricky Sang, Mehul Gohil and his former personal coach Joseph Methu are some of the big guns that he outwitted in the national team selection to top with 8.5 points.
At the 2023 World Youth Chess Championship last month in Montesilvano, Italy, he gained 40 Fide elo ratings after scoring 4.5 points from 11 rounds. CM Dion Krivenko from Estonia are among the players the teenager upset in the competition.
The rising chess board master wants to qualify for the Africa Games and has a goal of reaching elo rating of 2200 by the end of next year.
Born on June 6, 2003, the former Bunjosi Primary School, Kabuyefwe Secondary and Kwanthanze Secondary student shot to fame in August 2023.
She emerged the best setter at the Women’s African Nations Championship 2023 in Cameroon as Kenya won the tournament for the 10th time.
Malkia Strikers setter Emmaculate Nekesa poses with her Best Setter award at the end of the Africa Nations Championship at Palais Polyvalet des Sports (Paposy) Arena on August 24, 2023 in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Nekesa, whose role model is decorated former Kenyan setter Jane Wacu, has since found a new club in Kenya Pipeline after ditching KCB early this month.
“Moving to Pipeline was not a difficult decision to make because they have always shown interest in me. I feel it is a good opportunity to grow and prove myself,” says Nekesa.
The Nairobi-based swimmer from Busia County continued from where he left in 2022 by splashing to some great performances.
After coming second runners up (male 15-16) at the African Swimming Federation (CANA) Zone III championships in Tanzania, registering personal best times at the Cana Zone IV in Zambia, and bagging two gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the Cana Zone III in Tanzania in 2022, Kudwoli had a record-breaking performance at the prestigious Speedo Swimming Challenge in November 2023 in Dubai.
He shattered the 13-year-old Kenya short course 50 metres breaststroke record of Olympian Jason Dunford of 29.72 seconds, with an impressive time of 29.45. Sixteen-time African champion Jason had owned the record since October 29, 2010.
He clinched bronze medal in the 400m medley at the 2023 African Junior Swimming and Open Water Championships in Mauritius.
Kenyan swimmer Haniel Kudwoli trains at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on December 3,2023.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
The swimmer from Otters Swim Club, who is in his final year at Nairobi Jaffery Academy, says being part of Team Kenya in a prestigious event like the African Junior Championships was both exhilarating and challenging.
Competing at the continental level, he says, means facing a number of challenges.
“The intensity of the competition requires mental resilience. The pressure to perform at one’s best can be overwhelming, but it also fuels a determination to push personal limits,” says Kudwoli who gets inspiration from celebrated American Olympian Cody Miller.
His father Eric Kudwoli was a rugby player in his heydays while his mother Fatuma Kudwoli is actively involved in CrossFit.
