Train like a beast and play like an
animal, a sportsman once proclaimed, and so does the Egerton Handball team
manifest this rare spirit. Everyday moulded in their natural handball
court just adjacent to the pavilion, the
Gladiators are the new kings of the rift valley handball.
The team outclassed other varsities within the
rift valley region to clinch the Annual Rift valley KUSA games. They will now
join other sports disciplines like Basketball and Football in their new quest
that is to lift the National titles during the National varsity KUSA games
scheduled for December, after which all roads are bound to lead to Rwanda for
the quenching of the regional title thirst.
The team boasts of a variety of
individual talents in the name of sidesteppers Peter Ndung’u, Fabian Odhiambo,
Peter Mwangi and Kajulo Gilbert, defensive heghts that are Andala Levi, Oyugi
Kelvin an Hillary Munialo, the most flexible pivoter Mwangi Eric and in between
the posts is the man who lives up to the name shotstopper, one Geoffrey Oloo.
These are only but a fraction of who the real Gladiators are, like the neck
that carries the head, there are players worth a mention too. But all the same
they make up what is fast coming to be known (by other rival universities) as
`the berlin wall of Njoro`
The arena of victory was The Maasai Mara
university, formerly Narok University college.The who`s and who`s of the rift
came droves to represent. With a tough fixture ahead of them as all teams
present were to play a round robin fixture hence ensure that a team played all
teams that honored the tournament , the gladiators laid out a strategy that as
to see them wallop the hosts 20-12 in a tournament opener. This of course sent
out signals the they were ready to continue with their unbeaten form in the
region. Next was Egeton Nakuru Town Campus who paid homage to the gladiators
even before the match began, they bowed 17-26 to the big boys of the main
campus. Egerton perennial rivals Kabarak University proved a threat in the
first half but the introduction of Peter Mwangi and expert fast-breaker Ben Too silenced kabarak and
ensured the head to head record between the two teams remained tilted to
Egerton’s favour-100% winning record, 23-19 was the score.
To wind up the business for the day, The
University of eldoret, formerly chepkoilel, which had won all their matches but
one was to face Egerton in what appeared to be the tournament’s final match. A
see-saw trend is what could best characterize the first half, though Egerton
led 11-9 at the break. The stern touchline touch by Egerton Coach Mr.Gikari
inspired the boys to a thrilling second half that led to Eldoret side
technically give up and pave way of a 25-19 victory for the big boys from
Njoro. The kings were henceforth crowned.
Aiming for the national and subsequent
continental titles, the gladiators are well aware that Kenyatta university’s
Trojans have become the first varsity side to beat the top club in the country’s
league-NCPB, hence they face a tough fixture come December. We wish them the
best. Go Gladiators!! Go!!
