The Kenya Secondary School Sports Association KSSSA Nairobi Regional Term two games kicked off today with great expectations and competitive spirit across various grounds in Mathare sub-county. These games, running from today, will be used for deciding the regional champions and schools to represent the region in the KSSSA National Term two games slated for 28 July-7 August at Kisii.
It involves various sporting disciplines, including football, volleyball, rugger 7s, basketball 3X3, tennis, badminton, table tennis—both for girls and boys. Additionally, there is the netballing discipline involved in the competition.
The current reigning champions in boys and girls, Dagoretti High and Dagoretti Mixed, respectively, will be defending the title to make it to the national level. Being the national runners-up last year, Dagoretti High will start the campaign in Pool A against Loresho Secondary at St Teresa’s Girls before later facing off with Langata High.
Our main target is to defend the regional championship and go back to nationals, where we hope to try and improve from last year’s performance, where we emerged second,” added Dagoretti High Coach Joseph Makokha.
Pool C will also feature the 2022 East Africa silver medalists Highway Secondary, coached by Harambee Starlets and Kenya Police Bullets coach Beldine Odemba, who is set to lock horns with Brownhill and Jehovah Jire. The highway is looking to stage a comeback to the national stage following their absence in 2022.
Pool G has former champions Upper Hill, Dandora Secondary, and Lenana School. In other pools, Jamhuri High will contest in Pool E with Kenya Muslim and Hospital Hill, while St Patricks will do battle in Pool B with Nairobi School and Our Lady of Fatima-OLF in Elgon Cup round of 16 places.
In volleyball, regional champions Ruthimitu Mixed and Soweto Academy will be yearning for continuity. Ruthimitu Mixed is the national champion in the boys’ category and gunning for a third regional title in a row, while seeking to defend this at the national level. They will begin their campaign in Pool A against Woodly and Aquinas High.
Dagoretti High and Olympic High defend boys’ and girls’ titles in basketball 3X3, respectively. Dagorette is drawn in Pool A that also features Aquinas, Nairobi School, Mathari Mixed, Muhuru Muchiri, and Kibera Secondary. Olympic to feature in Group A, which also features St Georges, Peter Kibukosya, Maina Wanjigi, Clay City, and St Claire Nembu.
Rugby 7s will kick off on Friday while defending champions Upper Hill has expressed confidence in successfully defending their title. The girls’ rugby 7s event is a new feature in KSSSA events this year.
Others sports will also see regional volleyball champions Ruthimitu Mixed gunning to retain the title. Hospital Hill, who are eyeing a comeback to the nationals, were placed in Pool B with Mihango Secondary and Githurai Secondary. In Pool C are 2018 and 2019 regional champions Langata High, Shadrack Kimalel Secondary, and Moi Forces.