Mombasa County brave Kericho cold, rain to sink hosts in opener

Nakuru and Siaya handball teams in action during the ongoing Kenya Inter-Counties Sports and Cultural Association (Kicosca) games at Kericho Teachers Training College (KTTC) on August 13, 2018. PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI |

What you need to know:

  • Hussein Chimbet netted Mombasa’s second in the 80th minute to put the match beyond the reach of the hosts
  • Bomet beat Lapfund 5-1 at Kericho Teachers Training College with Benard Korir scoring a first half hat-trick in the 12th, 27th and 41st minutes
  • Nakuru Deputy Governor Erick Korir was elated, saying the positive early results proved that their sports programmes were getting off the ground

The Kenya Inter-Counties Sports and Cultural Association (Kicosca) Games got off to an entertaining start on Monday evening with Mombasa braving the rain to beat hosts Kericho 2-0 in the opening football match.

Stakes are high with the winners earning tickets to represent Kenya in the East African Local Authorities Sports and Cultural Association Games to be hosted by Uganda in December.

On Monday, Munda Mbarak pumped in a volley for Mombasa’s first goal in the dying minutes of the first half of the match played at a packed Kericho Green Stadium and witnessed by, among others, Council of Governors chairman Wycliff Oparanya along with fellow governors Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), James Ongwae (Kisii) and Cornel Rasanga (Siaya).

Hussein Chimbet netted Mombasa’s second in the 80th minute to put the match beyond the reach of the hosts.

“It was a great game,” Mombasa County Government’s senior sports officer Hamid Abubakar reflected on Tuesday.

“The match started off well for us but when it started raining, we found the going a bit tough as we aren’t used to this (cold and rainy) weather,” he added. Mombasa will pray for clear skies when they face Kajiado on Wednesday morning in their second match of the annual competition.

In Tuesday’s matches, Bomet and Meru were five-star winners. Bomet beat Lapfund 5-1 at Kericho Teachers Training College with Benard Korir scoring a first half hat-trick in the 12th, 27th and 41st minutes.

Clement Rono and Anderson Kirui scored a goal each in the second half of the match with Lapfund’s consolation goal scored by Godian Mabinda.

Meru also beat Ugatuzi 5-1 while Nairobi and Samburu drew 1-1. Cyrus Oloo and Jonathan Wasinali scored for Nairobi and Samburu, respectively.

Kajiado edged out Busia 1-0 with Ishmael Nasure, the Kajiado captain, leading from the front with the all-important goal while Nakuru hammered Murang’a 4-1.

In the women’s tug-of-war on the opening day, Nakuru — drawn largely from the enforcement unit — outmuscled hosts Kericho.

Nakuru Deputy Governor Erick Korir was elated, saying the positive early results proved that their sports programmes were getting off the ground.

Nakuru Chief Officer for Sports, William Migwe, said the county administration is investing in infrastructural upgrades to promote various sports disciplines in the county.

He added that groundbreaking for a high altitude training camp at Keringet in Kuresoi South will be conducted in a weeks’ time.

The Kicosca festival, now in its seventh year, has attracted over 8,000 competitors drawn from from 37 out of the 47 counties.

Tuesday results

Handball (men)

Kericho 18 Kajiado 11, Kajiado 16 Siaya 13

Handball (women)

Siaya 6 Nakuru 4, Nairobi 1 Samburu 1, Kericho 23 Nakuru 9;

Football (men)

Mombasa 2 Kericho 0, Bomet 5 Lapfund 1 , Ugatuzi 5 Meru 1, Kajiado 1 Busia 0, Nakuru 4 Muranga 1

Volleyball (women)

Uasin Gishu 3 Busia 0, Uasin Gishu 3 Kisumu 0, Murang’a 3 Nyandarua 0

Basketball (men)

Nakuru 54 Kilifi 29, Nakuru 25 Mombasa 23, Bungoma 26 Kisumu 21

Basketball (women)

Uasin Gishu 24 Kisii 6, Bungoma 32 Uasin Gishu 13, Bungoma 54 Siaya 0

Wednesday fixtures

Basketball (men)

From 8am at Kipsigis Girls’High School: Kilifi vs Mombasa, Uasin Gishu vs Siaya

Basketball (women)

From 9am at Kipsigis Girls’High School: Kisii vs Bungoma, Uasin Gishu vs Siaya

Handball

From 9am at Kipsigis Girls High School: Kericho vs Siaya (men); Siaya vs Kericho (women)

Note: Football matches are being played at Kericho Green Stadium and Kericho Teachers Training College and Darts at Urwo Inn Hotel.