African Games champion Chepng'etich, Bungoma Stars star in 2024 BingwaFest Western Kenya Edition

African Games women's 10000m champion Janeth Chepng'etich bagged a double in the Western Kenya edition of the 2024 BingwaFest sports extravaganza held in Mumias, Kakamega County at the weekend.

Chepng'etich cruised to the tape to win the hotly contested women's 10000m and 5000m categories.

Meshack Babu and Eunice Kadogo took top honors in the men's and women's 100m categories in that order as Kyumbe Munguti and Josephine Chelang’at triumphed in the men's and women's 1500m  races respectively.

The 3x3 basketball tournament delivered heart-pounding matchups, culminating in a dramatic men’s final where local heroes Waingo Basketball edged out Tao Garments in overtime.

The women’s basketball title went to Aces, who showcased their dominance throughout the tournament, and in the finals against Snack Pick Buddies, where they won comfortably.

Football fans were treated to a sensational final day as Bungoma Stars FC clinched the men’s title with a nail-biting 1-0 victory against Lurambi side AP Seals FC.

In the women’s football final, Malava outfit Mali Mali FC emerged victorious with a 2-1 win against Kakamega Starlets, rounding off a memorable tournament.

In rugby, Western Spears and Makunga RFC took home the women’s and men’s accolades in that order.

Rugby was contested in a 10-aside format while the women had a seven-a-side challenge. It's also the first time that rugby is being introduced in the contests.

Rugby legend Fred Ollows, who oversaw the tournament, lauded the high level of competition and the promising future for the sport in the region.

The winning teams in rugby and football were awarded Sh1 million each with Sh500,000 and Sh250,000 going to the second and third-place finishers.

To promote gender equality, the prize money was awarded to the men and women categories.

"BingwaFest is more than a sports event; it’s a celebration of community spirit and the incredible potential of Kenyan youth. We are proud to offer a platform where young athletes can showcase their talents and earn a livelihood,"  Betika Group CEO, Mutua Mutava, underlined.

He further emphasized: "Our investment in this tournament reflects our commitment to investing in the youth through sports, providing opportunities for growth, development, and a brighter future."

The top performers from the BingwaFest Western Kenya will advance to the national finals, where they will compete against the best sides fro other regions later in the year.

The next course of action is the BingwaFest Nyanza edition slated for August 22