USIU-Africa, Kenyatta University, and Mount Kenya University (MKU) asserted their dominance as the Kenya University Sports Federation National Games concluded on Friday at the University of Eldoret.
MKU secured third place overall, earning 21 gold, 25 silver, and 26 bronze medals. The university narrowly missed the top spot by just three gold medals. Major sporting rival USIU-Africa claimed first place with 24 gold, 13 silver, and 21 bronze medals.
Kenyatta University finished second, tallying 23 gold, 22 silver, and 26 bronze medals. A total of 21 universities competed in this 10th edition of the annual games.
MKU’s Emerging Talent Shines
MKU’s top-performing teams included the ‘young Turks’ karatekas. Most of these students were admitted in September 2025, and this was their first major event, where they performed exceptionally.
The woodball team, a mix of young students supported by a few experienced players, proved to be the university’s most outstanding squad. They successfully stepped into the shoes of senior players who had recently graduated and were therefore ineligible, bagging the majority of medals.
The university’s swimming team also contributed significantly, securing a substantial number of medals.
Additional medal-winning teams included taekwondo (men and women), tennis (men), badminton (men and women), table tennis (men and women), and darts (men). The athletics teams (both men and women) were notably affected by the absence of key athletes.
These athletes are currently undergoing training with the Kenya Army and Kenya Police forces, impacting the university’s overall athletic performance.
Reflections and Future Aspirations
Mr. William Luta, MKU’s sports, film, creative, and performing arts coordinator, praised the teams’ performance as thrilling. He expressed awe at their achievements, stating, “Most players are young, unexposed talents from the recent September intake. Yet, they have shown a positive attitude and resilience, fighting for the honour of their institution.”
Mr. Luta affirmed that the university management is committed to nurturing every talent. He acknowledged the event as a valuable learning experience. “We need to improve our training facilities and facilitate students’ participation in more competitive and friendly events,” he noted, “to help them gain crucial exposure and confidence.”
“Achieving third position was not our ultimate goal, but we accept it and will address our shortcomings,” Mr. Luta explained. He added that the performance was impacted by key athletes joining uniformed forces, which weakened their traditionally strong athletics and taekwondo teams.
“Competition is exceptionally high this year, with all participating teams demonstrating remarkable competitiveness,” Mr. Luta concluded.
“As we return home, we are immensely proud of our achievements,” he added. “We eagerly anticipate 2026 for more sporting adventures, aiming for enhanced performances and continued nurturing of young talents.”
