Chess players face off during the inaugural Nyanza region championships/ANGWENYI GICHANA
Chess made a successful and highly competitive debut at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two Games, with Mbita High and Rang’ala Girls emerging as the inaugural Nyanza regional champions in Homa Bay.
Mbita High clinched the boys’ title after amassing 19 points from six wins and one draw during the three-day competition at Homa Bay High School.
Kanga High finished second with 16 points from five wins and one loss, while Maseno School placed third on 15 points after recording four wins and three draws.
Mbita and Kanga booked their tickets to the KSSSA National Term Two Games, scheduled for July 28 to August 1 at the MPESA Foundation Academy in Thika.
In the girls’ competition, Rang’ala Girls dominated the field to win the title with 19 points, ahead of Nyamira Girls on 15 points and Nyakach Girls on 13.
Rang’ala and Nyamira Girls, both from Siaya County, qualified to represent the region at the national championships. Mbita High’s Elvis Onditi was crowned the inaugural boys’ individual champion after producing a flawless performance, scoring a perfect seven points from seven matches.
He finished ahead of Dau Chol of Kisumu Boys, who scored six points, while Samuel Efim of Chianda Boys also finished on six points to take third place.
In the girls’ individual category, Zena Ibrahim of Sironga Girls also recorded a perfect seven wins from seven matches to claim the inaugural title.
Ibrahim, who trains under the Chess Kenya Federation’s Elite Chess Academy programme, finished ahead of Michele Kwamboka of Nyakach Girls and Eunice Awuor of Koru Girls, who each scored six points to finish second and third respectively.
Chess Kenya Federation (CKF) Chess for Schools coordinator Saphina Kenyanyo hailed the successful introduction of the sport at the regional games.
