Year 2019: Citizen Digital sports writers pick their highlights

The year 2019, like many before it, has has its fair share of sporting drama. Records have been broken in several races across world capitals, while the beautiful game of football, which we all cherish, also kept the adrenaline pumping in the chest of fans and journalists alike.

Throughout this period; month for month, week after week, day by day, and with each passing minute and second, distinguished Citizen Digital crew have been there to document it. From the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar where Kenya chiseled her name for the umpteenth time as an athletics powerhouse, to the imposing Cairo International Stadium in Egypt where Algeria’s Desert Foxes were crowned AFCON champions for the second time in their history, and the first in 29 years, our crew witnessed it all, and documented the memories. Today they give their calls on what impressed them the most.

Matthews Mutai: Kenyan athletes raise the bar again

Kenyan athletes enjoyed a stellar 2019, breaking records across the world and elevating the country’s reputation as an athletics powerhouse to new global heights.

From Eliud Kipchoge’s historic 1:59:40 run in Vienna that made him the first man to complete the distance in under 2 hours to Brigid Kosgei’s sensational run in Chicago that broke the long-standing women’s world marathon record.

Geoffrey Kamworor also posted record breaking performance in Copenhagen and there were championship records at Doha Worlds for Hellen Obiri and Beatrice Chepkoech.

Gilbert Kiprotich: Ruth Chepngetich defying the odds to bag gold in Doha

When Ruth Chepngetich was named in Kenya’s marathon team for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, few if any would have thought the diminutive athlete would make the podium.

At the global championship, Chepngetich teamed up with two-time champion Edna Kiplagat and Olympian Visiline Jepkesho both of whom commanded much experience than the 25 year old, with the trio facing an uphill task from bitter rivals Ethiopia

Despite the high temperatures experienced in the Middle East country dominating the build up to the race, Chepngetich defied the odds to not only clinch a medal but gold for that matter  in 2:32:43.

It is also worth noting that it was Kenya’s first gold in the first event of the championships on September 27.That, to me, was special.

Paul Ombati: Liverpool’s jaw-dropping comeback against Barcelona

On a chilly Tuesday night of 7th May, Liverpool were hosting Barcelona in the 2nd leg of the Champions League, having lost 3-0 at Camp Nou. The Reds made history  by overturning the deficit with a chastening 4-0 win, and went on to bag the big two-eared trophy. And who could forget the heroics of Kenyan-Belgian Divock Origi in that particular match? This, for me, was quite momentous, with the famous chants of ‘Alles! Alles!(Everything) reverberating round the stadium.

Jacob Icia: Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma signing a five-year deal for Swedish giants AIK

I have watched the Harambee Stars utility man from his days as a student at Kakamega High School to date. His thirst to reach the highest level has never been quenched even when he was part of Gor’s title winning squad of 2015 that bagged the gong unbeaten, to enduring a difficult period in Georgia. In fact many doubted if  his career that had quickly blossomed at K’Ogalo would shine again after that poor stint in Georgia. He however broke to Sweden albeit starting in Division III, but  lady-luck smiled his in 2019  as he made the   the big leap to Allmänna Idrottsklubben(AIK), a to-tier Swedish club That alone warmed my heart.

 Godfrey Ashiali: Gor Mahia mauling AFC Leopards 4-1 in Mashemeji derby 

In the run-up to this fancied duel, Gor Mahia had recorded back-to-back losses against Motema Pembe of Congo in the  Caf Club Championship with Leopards registering an impressive 7-match unbeaten run since losing to Kakamega Homeboyz  in September. With that contrast, many expected Ingwe to hold their own. But alas! They crumbled like a pack of cards as Gor clobbered them with no mercy.

Salim Barissa: Scandals that rocked FKF

This year was to usher in a new dawn in our football management what with the planned FKF national elections on December 7.

But it was not to be. What awaited many was a major shock after the Sports Disputes Tribal cancelled the polls over what it termed “lack of enough  public participation”. This was also camouflaged by endless accusations by the Ministry of Sports that the federation had not accounted for the millions wired to its accounts for the national team Harambee Stars.

Caro Kones: Eliud Kipchoge breaking the two-hour marathon barrier

Herman Kamariki: Vihiga Queens bagging the league title,  third time in a row

Women Premier league has been an amazing tournament this year with Vihiga Queens being the Team of the Year from my own perspective. Seeing them raise the trophy three times in a row despite training on a barren surface that is Kidundu grounds was enough motivation, that when you focus on the prize, nothing can hinder you from getting what belongs to you.

These queens are a reflection of beauty and hard work not forgetting that most of them  have gone beyond high school taking over major courses in the university due to football.

Nothing more to add but a salute.

Alex Kinyua: Kenya making a comeback to the World Rally Championship

After an 18-year hiatus, 2019 was a huge moment for both the country and Africa at large. Being home of revered drivers, it was a shame that this great continent didn’t have a leg in the biggest league, I’m taking  about the World Rally Championship.
Kenya’s Manvir Baryan has won the Africa Rally Championship three years in a row and it’s about time he tested himself against the great, in the upcoming World Rally Championship in 2020 that Kenya will host .

Dennis Kamariki: Alex Alumira making his own history 

This man Alex led Vihiga Queens to winning the FKF Women Premier League for three consecutive seasons. He was also the first Women Premier League coach to win the trophy three consecutive times. He is also the first Women Premier League coach to be nominated for the Coach of the Year in the Soya Awards. Do I need to add more?

Dan Ogega: Kipchog’e INEOS Challenge win was a rare feat by all means

The 2019 sports landscape was littered with a plethora of interesting sports events but none can match Eliud Kipchoge’s unprecedented conquest of the INEOS Challenge in Vienna in October.

I considered myself lucky to witness one of sports history’s unthinkable feats unravel before my eyes. What a time it was to be alive. It was seismic in every sense.

It was the first time that the Universe was united in supporting the cause of one man and seeing him etch his name amongst sports immortals.  And he never disappointed!

Joan Cheruiyot: Emery out chants, followed by Arteta arrival

After a terrible start to the season by the Gunners, recording the longest period of draws without any win, it was a sigh for the team after Unai Emery was sacked on a Friday afternoon of 29th November 2019.

And with his exit, Santa sent Mikel Arteta to the Gunners as their Christmas gift. He was appointed the new head coach on yet another Friday 20th December.

With that, we as the Gunners now see light at the end of the tunnel since Arteta is equal to the task. After all he has been an understudy to the ‘best coach in the world’ in Pep Guardiola.

Kenerickson Njeru: Shujaa turn-around in the HSBC World Rugby Series

The Kenya men’s team were almost relegated and could have lost their core status in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series towards the end of the season in June.

After the ninth round of London Sevens Shujaa had 27 points and were fighting relegation with Wales who had 30 points and Japan who had 25 points, so Shujaa had to collect more points than the two.

But Paul Murunga, the then head coach got a boost from experienced players Andrew Amonde, Bush Mwale, Jeffrey Oluoch and Nelson Oyoo who agreed to help Shujaa maintain their status core.

They went ahead to collect 10 points to secure their core status to finish 13th with 37 points, six points ahead of Wales and 10 ahead of Japan. That is orgasmic!

Philip Muchiri: Timothy Cheruiyot  winning gold in Doha

Lydia Akoth: Harambee Starlets conquering all to bag Cecafa title