Kenya Inter-County Sports and Cultural Association (KICOSCA) Games entered Day Two on Tuesday in Kisumu with several sporting disciplines on display.
Nairobi County recorded crucial wins in preliminary matches to make clear their intentions of retaining the overall title.
Nairobi County teams registered wins in handball, netball and basketball in both men and women categories to mark a good start to the Games.
During the last championship held in Embu, Nairobi County emerged overall winners with 25 medals; 15 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze.
In Tuesday matches, Nairobi beat Bungoma 27-16 in women’s basketball before the county’s netball team edged out Homa Bay 26-19.
In men’s basketball, coach John Barasa led his charges to a 39-34 victory over Nakuru.
“The county government gave us enough time to train for three months non-stop and today we are happy we have started with impressive results,” Barasa noted.
In other women’s basketball matches, hosts Kisumu County handed Kericho a humiliating 52-04 defeat while Uasin Gishu thrashed Embu 40-06.
Nakuru upset defending champions Nairobi in men’s tug of war beating them 2-1.
In men’s basketball, Bungoma won 32-10 against Uasin Gishu with Turkana losing 45-41 to adamant Kiambu.
The Nairobi team is defending titles in netball, tug of war, basketball (both men and women), athletics, scrabble, table tennis, badminton and handball (both men and women).
Nairobi also won in men’s handball humbling Vihiga 36-12.
In football, Kisii started off well with a 2-0 win over resilient Murang’a in a Pool ‘D’ match played at Kisumu National Polytechnic ground.
In a Pool ‘E’ match played at Moi Stadium, the Ministry of Devolution team edged Nandi through Tom Mate’s 57th minute goal.
“We were to win with a bigger margin but regrettably it was too hot for my boys,” said Ministry of Devolution coach Douglas Karanja.
Same sentiments were issued by his Nandi counterpart Isaac Keter who urged his boys to put their best foot forward in the remaining matches to qualify for Round of 16.
In netball, Kakamega easily beat Murang’a 25-02 while Kisumu defeated Kilifi 33-07.
Netball, tug of war and basketball are being held at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga sports ground.
The Games will continue Wednesday with winners set to qualify for Round 16.
