This archive report was first published on 21 December 2021.
On January 18th, the Sports Personality of the Year Awards will take place in Kakamega County, and among the nominees for the Most Promising Girl award is 11-year-old tennis sensation Selline Ahoya.
Ahoya, a pupil at St. Bridget Catholic Primary school, has been making waves in the tennis world with her impressive skills. She is currently ranked first in the Under 12 national rankings and has won several championships, including the Under-12 category during the Kenya Tennis Junior Challenge in October.
Her impressive form has also earned her a spot in the East Africa junior tennis championship in Kampala, Uganda, where the Kenyan girls won the overall title and qualified for the November Africa junior championship in Tunisia.
Ahoya will compete for the award against three world Under-20 champions: Purity Chepkirui, Teresia Muthoni, and Jackline Chepkoech, who starred for the country during the World Under-20 Athletics Championships held at Kasarani in August, as well as footballer Violet Nanjala of Vihiga Queens.
The 18th SOYA Awards gala will consist of 16 categories, with the overall sportsman and woman of the year to be crowned. Last year's gala, held in Naivasha, Nakuru County, saw Al Duhail Fc and Harambee Stars forward Michael Olunga and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games women's marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir feted as the best sportman and woman.
