Ommala scoops top honours at Magharibi Michezo Awards

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Ommala scoops top honours at Magharibi Michezo Awards

By CELLESTINE OLILO December 22nd, 2014 2 min read

National hockey team captain Betsy Ommala was named the overall player of the year at the 2014 Magharibi Michezo Awards gala held at the Mashariki Sports Leadership College in Bungoma on Saturday night.

Ommala, who is also Telkom Orange’s captain, overcame stiff competition from Sofapaka midfielder Anthony Ndolo, Bush Mwale from the Kenya Sevens Rugby team and Kenya Prison’s volleyball player Michael Chemos to bag the trophy together with the Sh50, 000 cash prize.

Under her captainship, the national hockey team qualified for the second round of the World Hockey League. A delighted Ommala told Nairobi News that she was greatly honoured to have received the award.

“This is the first time that I have gotten such recognition. I am very happy that my efforts caught someone’s eye. This has been a great year for me and I hope that next year will be better,” Ommala said.

Ndolo, who won the KPL Player of the Year last month, was voted the best footballer in 2014 after beating Gor Mahia’s Harun Shakava, AFC Leopards defender Jackson Saleh and West Kenya’s Nelson Simwa., while Harun Nyakha was voted the most promising footballer.

CASH AWARD

The Best Rugby player’s award went to Bush Mwale who beat Western Bulls’ Duncan Abuyeka and KCB RFC’s Oliver Mangeni to emerge the winner.

National volleyball coach David Lungaho was vote the best coach, while United States International University player Hilda Indasi was named the Basketball player of the year.

This is the second edition of the awards which are organized by a group of journalists led by Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) communications officer Michael Kwambo to recognize sports personalities who hail from Western Kenya.

“Magharibi Michezo Awards is an initiative that was born from the realization that this region produces so much sports talent that goes unrecognized. Funding has been hard to come by and that is why only the overall best player received a cash award but we are planning to make it an even bigger event next year,” Dennis Machio, a member of the MMA organizing committee said.