Dominant Rift Valley retain national Inter-Collegiate athletics and tug-of-war overall title

Rift Valley celebrates after lifting the national Inter Collegiate Athletics and Tug of War championships overall title at Kisii University/ANGWENYI GICHANA

Rift Valley Region retained the national Intercollegiate Athletics and Tug-of-War Championships title as the curtain came down on the annual event at Kisii University on Friday.

The athletics powerhouse amassed 396 points to defend the title they won last year in Bungoma. Western Region finished second with 381 points, while Nairobi placed third with 247 points.

Hosts Nyanza, under the chairmanship of Borabu TTC Chief Principal Timothy Atuti, settled for fourth place with 140 points. New entrants North Eastern Region finished at the bottom with one point in the championships organised by the Kenya Teachers Colleges Sports Association (KTCSA).

Rift Valley dominated the men’s category with 206 points, while Western Region emerged champions in the women’s category after collecting 226 points. Mary Ayuma of Eregi TTC was crowned the best female athlete after winning three gold medals in the 1,500m, 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.

Meshack Ewoi and Seith Chepkukutia shared the best male athlete award. Ewoi of Narok TTC claimed gold in the 100m and 400m, while Chepkukutia triumphed in the 800m and 1,500m races.

In the visually impaired category, Vivian Jepng’etich emerged as the best female athlete after bagging three gold medals. Victor Amdan and Mathew Kipkosgei shared the men’s award after also winning three gold medals each.

In the newly introduced tug-of-war competition, Rift Valley’s Mosoriot TTC edged Borabu TTC 2-1 to clinch the men’s title, while Eregi TTC from Western beat Asumbi TTC of Nyanza 2-0 to secure the women’s crown.

KTCSA president Duncan Okwaro announced that the Coast Region will host the 2027 national Term One games, while Rift Valley will stage the athletics and tug-of-war championships.

“We have decided to do away with the Olympics' hosting model, where the same region hosts ball games and athletics championships. We want our students to visit most parts of the country,” said Okwaro, who is also the Chief Principal of Eregi Teachers College.

Okwaro and Atuti described the four-day championships as a resounding success. The Olympic hosting model was first introduced at Machakos TTC in the Nairobi Region in 2024 before it was staged at Kibabii TTC last year.

Okwaro commended fellow principals, Nairobi Sports House and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) for supporting the championships.

KUPPET vice-chairman Julius Korir was the chief guest during the closing ceremony and was accompanied by the union’s national secretary for tertiary institutions, Sammy Chelang’a. Korir and Chelang’a reaffirmed the union’s commitment to supporting college sports.