Kenya is set to host the inaugural East Africa Amateur Wrestling Championships this weekend, 6-7th July 2024, at the Sports View Hotel in Kasarani and Strathmore University, both located in Nairobi.
150 Wrestlers to Compete from Six Countries
Confirming the event, Erick Walucho, Secretary General of the Kenya Amateur Wrestling Association (KAWA), announced that six countries would vie for regional supremacy.
The competition will feature freestyle wrestling on Saturday at the Sports View Hotel and beach wrestling on Sunday at Strathmore University.
“150 wrestlers from six countries are already here, training for this weekend’s showdown. We will have freestyle wrestling on Saturday and beach wrestling on Sunday. Our young athletes will compete in the under-15, under-17, and under-20 categories, and we will also have senior competitions,” said Walucho.
UWW Development Officer to Grace the Event
The event will be attended by Vincent Aka, United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Development Officer for Africa.
“Kenya is a beautiful place with amazing athletes in wrestling. What I have seen here so far is great. This event sends a statement to the rest of Africa as we all strive to develop wrestling and aim for gold medals in international competitions such as the Olympics,” said Aka, who is from Ivory Coast.
He promised to visit Kenya more frequently as UWW is keen on developing wrestling in Kenya and across East Africa.
Kenya to Face Strong Competition from Neighbors
Hosts Kenya will compete against neighboring Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Burundi, Mauritius, and Sudan. These countries are all aiming for the top honors in amateur wrestling.
Top Wrestlers to Watch
KAWA has confirmed the participation of notable continental stars, including Uganda’s Harriet Akite, who won a gold medal at the second edition of the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) beach games held at Buntwani Beach, Malindi, in February.
Also competing will be African champion Kanapetradu Vihanshy Simran from Mauritius and African silver medalist Niyonkuru Gloria Lynca from Burundi.
New Technical Director Appointed
KAWA has appointed Linus Masheti as the Technical Director for both the men’s and women’s national teams. The veteran coach has promised to announce the final squads representing Kenya in all categories on Wednesday.
