Syliva Gathoni: 23-year-old video games star makes Forbes list

Sylvia Gathoni, a Kenyan e-sports guru, has been named to Forbes Africa's Top 30 Under 30 list of innovators who "care about being visionaries of change and catalysts for innovation."

E-sports, or electronic sports, is a type of video game competition that takes place on a multiplayer, individual, or team level.

Ms. Gathoni, alias QueenArrow, is a first-generation female professional in the country and the first e-sports athlete to be named to Forbes' global trailblazers list.

Gathoni described the honor as "one of the biggest affirmations of my e-sports career thus far" on Twitter after the announcement on Friday.

Gathoni  plunged into the world of competitive gaming in 2017, aged only 18, playing in Mortal Kombat XL.

She has since played at the Safaricom Blaze e-sport Tour’s Tekken tournament in 2019, which she won.

The Catholic University of Eastern Africa Law graduate is a woman of firsts; she was the first Kenyan to be signed by a major e-sport company after her deal with America’s XiT Woundz from, which sponsors her gaming activities.

“I look forward to more dubs and more glories." Getting to my level at Tekken, and attaining my objectives as a player, has taken hard work,” Gathoni told Nation.

She is currently the only woman in Tekken 254 Circuit, the globally-acclaimed hand-to-hand combat game.

Additionally, Gathoni was signed by American e-sports organization UYU last year as part of their content creation team, and is also supported by Red Bull.

“My focus at the moment is to find what sets me apart in gameplay and content creation,’’ she added.

Gathoni is recognized in the Top 30 Under 30 class alongside comedian Elsa Majimbo, Dr. Joan Ruguru Kimani, and Mukuru Clean Stoves founder Charlot Magayi.

In previous years, the list has featured names such as Mr. Eazi, Lloyd Harris, Siya Kolisi, Sho Madjozi, Bruce Diale, Karabo Poppy, Thuso Mbedu, Nomzamo Mbatha, Burna Boy, Nthabiseng Mosia, Davido, Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, Nasty C and WizKid.