Kenya made a positive start at the 2026 Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Zone Five Youth Games after recording impressive results in 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball and lawn tennis at Kenyatta University on Tuesday.
In 3×3 basketball, Kenyan teams performed strongly in both the boys’ and girls’ categories, which are being played in a round-robin format.
Kenya 2 girls’ team recorded three wins to underline its title ambitions. It opened with a 19-10 victory over Kenya 1 before defeating Ethiopia 19-2 and South Sudan 17-9.
Coach Eunice Ouma was pleased with the performance but cautioned her players against complacency as they seek to win the title.
“I am excited with the victory because the girls followed the instructions and it worked against a very good team. We need to work on our shooting, defence and also endurance. The girls have been in several competitions and fatigue has crept in, but I am happy with their display,” Ouma said.
Kenya 1 also enjoyed a strong outing, beating Ethiopia 21-2 and 19-2 to keep their title hopes alive.
The second round will be played Wednesday and the third round Thursday, with the team accumulating the most points declared champions.
In the boys’ category, Kenya 1 recorded two victories, defeating South Sudan 12-8 and Kenya 2 21-10.
In beach volleyball, Kenya 2 girls defeated South Sudan 2-1 (21-16, 22-24, 15-13) in a closely contested match to signal their title intentions.
The Kenyan pair of Josephine Achieng and Esther Chesori, from St Cecilia Aluor Girls Secondary School, dominated the opening set, winning 21-16 in 18 minutes.
The South Sudanese pair of Winnie Adior and Diana Lolik fought back in the second set, edging the Kenyans 24-22 to level the match and force a decisive third set.
The tie-break was closely fought, with both pairs trading points and exchanging leads before the home duo held their nerve to win 15-13 and secure victory in the 58-minute contest.
Chesori said they had to dig deep to win and praised her partner for her contribution.
“We are so proud and happy to claim the victory. Our service worked so well today, and our recovery was brilliant. We are more confident going into the other matches,” Chesori said.
Achieng attributed their success to their understanding and chemistry, saying they had played together for a year.
“We have played together for one year, and I believe we are going to get better as a partnership,” she said.
The duo will next face Kenya’s top side in what is expected to be a tough contest.
Kenya 2 boys, however, lost 2-1 to Uganda (17-21, 22-24, 15-11).
In lawn tennis, Kenyan players also impressed, with Mark Murage advancing to the third round in the boys’ section.
Murage began with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Tanzania’s Damiano Hamis Rungu before cruising past Somalia’s Abdallah Mohammed 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.
Don Kellu also advanced to the third round after defeating Asad Ibrahim Ibrahim 6-2, 6-0 in the second round.
“I beat excellent players today, and I am glad I am through to the third round. I was a bit nervous in the first match, but I grew into it, and I am confident I can go all the way. There is room for improvement, and I know I can win the title,” Murage said.
In the girls’ section, Nancy Kawira was the sole Kenyan to advance to the fourth round after recording impressive victories in her opening three matches.
By Anita Omwenga
