After having an impressive 2018 season, reigning 10,000m Deaflympic champion Daniel Kiptum will want to crown his year with a glittering Soya award.
But for him to do just that, he will have to fight off Peter Munuhe from Wheelchair tennis and handballer Dickson Ondwari as they all chase the coveted Sportsman Living with Disability award in the 2018 Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya).
Also in the mix is wheelchair racer Samuel Kuria in a category that has attracted few entrants owing to few events in the 2018 season.
The winner will be known during the 2018 Soya Gala set for January 11 at Fort Jesus, Mombasa.
Three-time nominee Jane Ndenga from Wheelchair tennis, Special Olympics Team Kenya goalkeeper Michelle Kaindi and wheelchair racer Caroline Wanjira will battle in the women's category.
READ MORE
Good news as state to fast-track dual citizenship for Kenyans in diaspora
PPB warns against unregistered cancer drug and substandard painkiller
Munuve, who was nominated last year, started his season by winning bronze in singles at the World Team Cup Africa qualifier in Nairobi in February.
She later claimed silver medals in singles and doubles during the ITF Nairobi Open Futures tournament.
Munuve once again settled for silver during Britam Kenya Open in September.
He again claimed silver medals in singles and doubles at ITF Dan Devan Wheelchair Tennis Futures in Ghana and Nigeria Wheelchair Open in October.
Munuve finished third in the category in 2017 after losing to Soya overall winner Samuel Mushai and Henry Kirwa.
Ondwari was the second highest top scorer at the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships with 36 goals, four short of the highest scorer Murat Chomaev of Russia.
Kiptum stunned defending champion Peter Toroitich to win this year's Safaricom Deaflympics Half Marathon in a time of 1 hour, 08 minutes and 02 seconds while Kuria was the wheelchair winner of the 21km race during the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon in October.
Ndenga, who has for the last three years earned nomination but without success, had one of her best seasons.
Ndenga started the year in style, winning good gold in both singles at the ITF World Team Cup Africa qualifier in February in Nairobi.
That saw her qualify for the World Team Cup held in June-July in the Netherlands.
Then Ndenga would be elected as one of the 11 regional representatives at the ITF World Wheelchair Players' Council in July.
Ndenga also won gold in doubles and reached singles semi-finals at ITF Nairobi Open Futures in February.
She followed it up with similar results at Britam Kenya Open in September, where she won gold in doubles before reaching the semis in singles.
Ndenga would settle for silver medals in singles and doubles at ITF Dan Devan Wheelchair Tennis Futures in Ghana and Nigeria Wheelchair Open all in October.
Kaindi was the goalkeeper at Special Olympics Team Kenya for football Unity Cup held in Chicago.
Kenya might have finished sixth overall, but Kaindi won Golden Gloves for her outstanding performance.
She conceded only four goals against eventual winners Slovakia.
