For the second year running, Kenyan top gamer Eric ‘Demon’ Ngige will be heading to Paris, France to battle top stars at the International e-Ligue 1 tour Esports finals after retaining his national title 10 days ago at Zetech University auditorium.
Ngige, who plays for top Nairobi gaming side Masters of Mayhem, beat all the odds to overcome teammate Joash “Jojo” Agutu 2-0 at the e-Ligue1 national finals. He had lost 3-1 to Harry Kapa in the Nairobi preliminaries on March 16 at KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka.
Ngige, 23, used French ligue2 side Quevilly Ruon in the Play Station 5 soccer battle, to win the title after hammering 2022 champion Luony Fox 6-1 in the semifinals, while Jojo overcame Harry Kappa 7-5.
“Having fallen to Kapa in the Nairobi finals, I intend to up my training in a bid to improve my defence and speed. I want to ensure I retain my title and bragging rights,” said Ngige.
The seasoned gamer Eric finished seventh at the Paris event in 2023 and believes he has unfinished business at the city of Love, as he targets a podium finish.
“I may have been a bit nervous at the biggest stage last year but going by the national championships, I have improved and can show the world what I’m made of,” the Kenyan top seed moted.
E-sports Kenya Federation president Roney Lusigi said the competition was stiffer after the preliminaries were held in Nakuru and Mombasa for the first time. The event attracted 634 gamers compared to 264 last year.
“The finals attracted the biggest crowds, with 5000 more following live action online, signifying the power of e-Sports and we will be seeking more support from the government to ensure the preliminaries cover more cities, as we also encourage more ladies to participate,” added Lusigi.
