This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
On Saturday, the two-day Blaze E-sport tournament came to a close, with Jean Jelimo and Dennis Rogers taking the top spots in the girls' and boys' categories, respectively.
At the Technical University of Kenya, the tournament saw Jean Jelimo and Dennis Rogers crowned as the champions in the girls' and boys' categories, respectively.
According to the tournament's prize money, Dennis Rogers received Sh50,000, while Jean Jelimo received Sh10,000.
"I hope that this tournament will attract more sponsors to help us get international recognition and develop a large fan base like any other sport," said Dennis Rogers, the boys' category winner.
Pro Series Gaming (PSG) communication manager Penny Njuma praised the tournament, stating that it showcased the growth of the gaming community in Kenya.
"We have had constant growth in the numbers, but I was really excited with more girls showing up and even taking the challenge of competing with the boys at Fifa 19," said Penny Njuma.
The Blaze E-sport tournament was launched in August 2019, with the first tournament held in Mombasa for youth aged between 18 and 26 years as a career choice option.
On the first day of the event, 300 participants competed, but only 64 made it to the finals.
Blaze communication manager Swaleh Mulinza emphasized the importance of the tournament, stating that it serves as a mirror for gamers to assess their skills and strive to improve.
"Gaming is not your most likely career, but it has proven to pay with the continuous growth in technology and the youth can take advantage of this because they interact with it," said Swaleh Mulinza.
The tournament was conducted by Pro Series Gaming company in conjunction with Safaricom's youth empowerment campaign, dubbed Be Your Own Boss, under the Blaze program.
