Rising Starlets stellar forward Valerie Nekesa has been honored as the most promising girl of 2023. She received this accolade during the annual Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony at the KICC center in Nairobi on Friday, March 1, 2024.Nekesa had an exceptional year, scoring a total of four goals in their two-legged qualifier against Angola, which the U20 team beat with a 10-1 aggregate score##NAJAVA_MECA_7918261##The 16-year-old Madira Soccer Assassins forward trounced golf star 14-year-old Bianca Ngecu and Nancy Cherop to the award.2023 was a remarkable year for the striker who guided Madira to the overall FKF Division One Women’s championship at the same time bagging the Vihiga County football title before proceeding to EAST Africa with the school team for their first time asking at the national level.Koyonzo, Kwanthanze clinch top honors in prestigious SOYA Schools Awards CategoryIn the boys’ category, her counterpart, Aldrine Kibet, secured the second position. His year was equally remarkable after gaining recognition during the Kenya Secondary School Games held in Kakamega. Subsequently, he was included in the Rising Stars squad for the CECAFA U18 Championship, where he amassed three goals.The category was won by Ismael Kipkurui from the athletics discipline while 8-year-old chess master Nathaniel Muchoki finished as the second runners-up.The Kenya U18 Boys’ Rising Stars claimed third place in the Men’s Sports Team of the Year after a commendable run in the CECAFA U18 Championship, remaining undefeated until the finals, where they finished as runners-up in the tournament.The National Roll Ball team finished in second place after their exploits in 2023 that saw the team make history when they were crowned the world champions for the first time following their 7-4 win over hosts India in a hotly contested final in Pune.The Kabras Rugby team retained the Kenya Cup after beating perennial rivals KCB RFC 19-9.Kipyegon scoop SOYA Sportswoman of the Year award, late Kiptum honoured posthumouslyKabras finished the season unbeaten in 11 matches to top the log with 52 points, and went ahead to beat Kenya Harlequin 22-8 in the semis before giving KCB a similar dose, the run was enough to earn them the Sports Team of the Year in men’s category.
