BingwaFest Eastern Edition: Former Olympic champion Kiprop lights up Machakos

Former men's 1500m Olympic and triple world champion Asbel  Kiprop light up the three-day third edition of BingwaFest sports extravaganza that has just concluded in Machakos County.

Kiprop breezed to the tape in 29 minutes 39 seconds to win the men's 10000m race, announcing his major comeback in the sport.

The women's category was won by Jepkoech Maukine who clocked 33 minutes 39 seconds.

Both champions took home Sh300,000 each, in the championships that saw a total of Sh17million purse money shared among the victors in different disciplines.

 “BingwaFest is a remarkable celebration of talent and sportsmanship in Kenya. We take pride in being part of an initiative that not only acknowledges athletic excellence but also advocates for gender equality," Mutua Mutava, Group CEO of Betika, told Standard Sports.

"Events of this nature inspire our youth and invigorate entire communities through the unifying power of sport. We are also eagerly anticipating the upcoming edition, which will take place in Central in coming weeks.

For this edition and future endeavors, we have formed a partnership with Zuri Health to enhance the event by providing a complimentary medical camp to the athletes and the public," he added.

In football, Kaapa FC soared to victory over Mass Warriors FC, lifting the coveted men’s title. Not to be outdone, Mass Queens FC showcased their skills by decisively defeating Athi River Queens to claim the women’s football contest.

In rugby, Daystar University Falcons decisively triumphed over Machakos University, despite the latter's advantage of competing on home ground. 

In the women’s rugby showdown, the Blad Babes delivered a master-class against Kithimu Women’s rugby team, while the Kalotoni Women’s rugby team celebrated a commendable third place finish. 

The top rugby teams left the festival with a cash prize of Sh 1,000,000.

The excitement didn’t stop there! In the men’s 3x3 basketball challenge, BCG clinched victory over Pirates, taking home Sh 500,000 winners prize. 

Township Ballers snagged second place, while Patrick Otango and Stephen Njoroge wowed the crowd with their jaw-dropping performances in the dunking and shooting contests, respectively. Masaku Matrix triumphed over Masaku Queens in the women's category, earning Sh 500,000 for the feat in the final.

Marion Obunaka was acknowledged for her outstanding performance in the women's shooting contest.

The three day sporting event that coincided with the Mashujaa Day festivities attracted 500 athletes on track, 32  football teams and 24 basketball outfits.

The championships came after the second edition of BingwaFest held in Nyanza last month.