Upper Hill School Wednesday claimed Kenya’s second gold at this year’s East Africa Secondary Schools Games after winning the rugby sevens title at the Tanzania Games Track and Safari (TGT) grounds.
Upper Hill clinched the title after beating holders Laiser Hill School 27-14 in their final round-robin match. It completes a memorable double for Upper Hill, who also beat Laiser Hill to win the national title in April.
Upper Hill finished top of the pile with 15 points, winning five and losing one of their round-robin matches. Laiser Hill, who still have one match to go, cannot retain their title, since head-to-head rules will see them finish second to Upper Hill even if they beat Tanzania’s Okeeswa Secondary School on Thursday.
“It is a memorable year for us because we have won both the national and regional title coincidentally against the same opponent who held both titles,” Upper Hill coach Thomas Walgwe said on Wednesday.
Upper Hill were impressive from the onset and shocked Laiser with a 17-0 half-time lead. Calvin Kahindi scored a brace of tries with James Mwangi’s converted try giving Upper the advantage at the break.
Laiser improved in the second half with Brunson Madigu landing two tries and two conversions from Frederick Odongo giving them a lifeline. However, Pius Odera and Dennis Onyono would add two more tries for Upper Hill to put the game beyond Laiser Hill’s reach.
Elsewhere, Kenyans will be eyeing a good start on Thursday as the athletics competition begins at Sheikh Abeid Memorial Stadium.
Solomon Boit and Noah Kimutai will be hoping to bag Kenya’s first medal in the boys’ 10,000m race. The duo will be looking to reclaim the title Kenya lost in Musanze, Rwanda last year.
Betty Chelagat and Feliciana Kanda will be chasing the girls’ 5,000m title. The Kenyans will be looking to defend the overall boys’ title, while the girls’ will be out to dethrone the Ugandans.
In hockey, St Cecilia Misikhu set up a semis date with national finalists St John’s Kaloleni, who finished second in pool ‘B’. The second semis match will see Nyamira Girls clash with Uganda’s Kakungulu Memorial Secondary School.
In the boys’ contest, defending champions St Anthony’s Kitale and former East Africa champions Friends School Kamusinga advanced to the semis. In girls’ basketball, Buruburu Girls Secondary School face Uganda’s St Mary’s Kitende as Kaya Tiwi battle St Noa also from Uganda.
9.00am – St Mary’s Kitende v Buruburu Girls
St Noa v Kaya Tiwi Secondary
11.00am – LDK v Dagoretti
Buddo School v Laiser Hill Academy
9.00am – St Cecilia Misikhu v St John’s Kaloleni
Nyamira Girls v Kakungulu
11.00am – St Anthony’s v St Mary’s Kisubi
Friends School Kamusinga v Ntare School
