Ogam, Wanyonyi and Kibugu lead star-studded charge for SoYA Sportsman of the year today

Emmanuel Wanyonyi/ FILE

‎‎‎Harambee Stars forward Ryan Ogam, world and Olympic 800m Emmanuel Wanyonyi and golfer Njoroge Kibugu will headline a cast of strong contenders in the race for the Sportsman of the Year Award at the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) set for today (Friday) at Uhuru Gardens.

‎Nairobi City Thunder’s dynamic small forward Albert Odero, as well as London and Berlin marathon champion Sabastian Sawe, have also earned nominations, setting up a thrilling contest. ‎Wanyonyi returns as the winner of last year's SOYA Sportsman of the Year award.

‎Last year, Wanyonyi beat Ronald Kwemoi and Benson Kipruto to the crown following his strong display at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 800m ace also had a strong 2025 season, powering to a maiden world title in Tokyo, timing a course record mark of 1:41.86 to edge out Algeria's Djamel Sedjati (1:41.90) and Canada's Marco Arop (1:41.95).

‎Wanyonyi's mark in Tokyo eclipsed the previous championship time of 1:42.34 set by American Donovan Brazier in Doha 2019. ‎Further, Wanyonyi held the fastest time over the two-lap event in 2025, posting 1:41.44 set at the Monaco Diamond League. ‎Wanyonyi’s dominance extended across the Diamond League circuit, where he successfully won the finals trophy in Zurich, timing 1:42.37.

‎‎He also held victories in Oslo (1:42.78), Stockholm (1:41.95), Monaco (1:41.44) and London (1:42.00). His exploits earned him the 2025 World Athletics Male Track Athlete of the Year award in Monaco. 

‎Kibugu, meanwhile, has enjoyed a meteoric rise on the greens, producing a stellar 2025 season on the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing. His crowning moment came during the Magical Kenya Open qualifiers, where he clinched the NCBA Bank tournament in January with a commanding 15-under-par 271 to secure one of eight coveted Kenyan slots.

‎The youngster went on to claim three titles on the inaugural tour, beginning with a dominant display at Thika Greens Resort, where he fired a three-day total of 15-under-par 201. 

‎He followed that with victory in Nyali, grinding out a 2-over-par 215, before completing a remarkable hat-trick at the Betika Masters at VetLab Sports Club on 10-under-par 206. ‎His consistency saw him climb the world rankings to 1,608th, a significant leap from 1,900, having started the year at 3,508 prior to the Thika Greens leg.

‎‎Ogam, just 20, has rapidly grown into a talismanic figure for Harambee Stars, delivering decisive performances on the continental and international stage.  ‎He emerged as one of Kenya’s standout performers at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), finishing as joint top scorer alongside Austin Odhiambo with two goals. ‎His defining moment came against Morocco, where his solitary strike sealed a famous 1-0 victory and propelled Kenya into the quarter-finals. 

‎‎Ogam carried that form into the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, scoring in the 3-1 win over Gambia, bagging a brace in the emphatic 5-0 rout of Seychelles, and netting the winner in a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Burundi. ‎In recognition of his stellar campaign, Ogam was among four Harambee Stars players honoured with the National Heroes Award by President William Ruto.

‎‎Odero has been equally influential on the hardwood, playing a pivotal role in Nairobi City Thunder’s impressive Basketball Africa League (BAL) campaign.  ‎He announced himself with 16 crucial points in their opening Elite 16 clash against Uganda’s Nam Blazers, powering Thunder into the semi-finals.]

‎The explosive forward then delivered one of the season’s defining moments, sinking a thunderous buzzer-beating dunk to hand Thunder an 86-83 victory over South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants in the semis, finishing as the game’s top scorer with 32 points. ‎Sawe, 30, rounds off the stellar lineup after a dream season on the roads. 

‎He stormed to victory at the London Marathon in April, clocking 2:02:27, before doubling up with another commanding run at the Berlin Marathon on September 21 in 2:02:16.

‎His dominance earned him the 2025 World Athletics Out of Stadia Athlete of the Year award, further underlining the strength of athletics in the race for SOYA’s top honour.