Magdalene Chepchumba and Leah Sadera were crowned champions in the 1,500m and 3,000m races respectively at the ongoing Kenya Universities Sports Federation (KUSF) Women Championships on Saturday afternoon at the Taita Taveta University grounds in Voi, Taita Taveta County, despite rain disrupting some events.
Representing Kibabii University from Bungoma County, Chepchumba claimed the 1,500m title after clocking 4:31.1 to beat Kisii University’s pair of Ruth Manyasi and Leah Sadera, who finished second and third in 4:31.7 and 4:35.2 respectively.
After the victory, Chepchumba admitted that the race was tough due to the presence of experienced athletes.
“I thank God for the victory after a long time of training. We are now aiming for the national championships at Kenyatta University,” said Chepchumba.
With her focus set on dominating the 1,500m, the third-year student said she hopes to emulate triple Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon.
“I expect to win the national title and emulate Faith Kipyegon, who has been an icon and mentor to many of us. Even though we have never met, I follow in her footsteps and hope to be like her,” she added.
After settling for bronze in the 1,500m, Sadera bounced back strongly to win the 3,000m title.
The Kisii University athlete clocked 11:34.1 to secure the victory ahead of Kaimosi’s Daisy Cherono, who finished second in 11:52.2, and Daisy Cheptoo in third place with 12:02.2.
Sadera said winning the 3,000m was a perfect redemption after missing out on gold in the 1,500m.
“We came as a team to compete and winning means a lot to me. I have always wanted to represent my school and win, and I am happy I achieved that. The competition was good and I am now looking forward to the national championships,” said the first-year Bachelor of Agricultural Education and Extension student.
In netball, defending champions Kenyatta University will face Kisii University in the final scheduled for Saturday evening.
The two sides secured their spots in the final after impressive semifinal victories. Holders Kenyatta University thrashed Embu University 60-19 in the first semifinal, while Kisii University edged out Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) 32-20.
However, the final had to be rescheduled for later in the evening due to afternoon rains.
Kisii assistant coach Ibrahim Oloo said their target is to clinch the title despite the tough competition.
“The players believed in the patterns, movement and skills they were taught, which helped them outsmart the opponents. I liked the way they played and we hope to maintain such performance from the group stages,” said Oloo.
He added that the team’s shooters and defenders played a crucial role in their success.
“This is something we started working on a long time ago and we are not done yet. We want to carry this momentum to the national championships,” he added.
In hockey, 2025 finalists Kenyatta University struggled to find wins in the absence of defending champions Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST). KU played to three draws: 0-0 against Kisii University, 1-1 against Tharaka University and 0-0 against JKUAT.
In other matches, Maseno University defeated the University of Eldoret 3-1, UOE beat the University of Nairobi 1-0, and JKUAT edged Kisii University 1-0. UOE and Maseno also played to a 0-0 draw, the same scoreline recorded between Kisii and Tharaka.
Meanwhile, Kaimosi Friends University (KAFU) emerged champions in the Ultimate Frisbee event after winning all their matches in a round-robin format, with only four universities participating.
KAFU began with a 12-2 victory over Kenyatta University, followed by a dominant 13-0 win against Maseno University, before sealing the title with a 13-4 victory over the University of Eldoret.
UOE finished second after beating Maseno 4-3 and Kenyatta University 11-0. Kenyatta University placed third with a 6-5 win over Maseno, who lost all their matches.
