The hockey fraternity all gathered at Greensteds International School this weekend for the 6th edition of the Nakuru Open, Betty Tioni Memorial Hockey tournament for men and women.

The two-day tournament organised by Nakuru Hockey Club in collaboration with Greensteds International School and the Kenya Hockey Union saw 48 teams from different parts of the country come together to compete for the 2023 Betty Tioni Cup title in honour of the late heroine and Kenyan international hockey player Betty Chebet Tioni.

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The Lakers hockey club won the women's competition after taking a 1-0 lead before defeating United States International University (USIU) in the shootout.

Passengers took the men's cup with an early 1-0 win over Strikers in the competitive final.

Passengers hockey club receiving their trophy after winning the 2023 Nakuru Opens, Betty Tioni tournament.

Photo credit: Purity Kinuthia/Mtaa Wangu

Speaking after the match, Lakers head coach Tuju Austin said they were happy to be crowned winners of the 2023 Betty Tioni tournament.

"It was a wonderful performance from the girls. We thought USIU would be an easy team to beat but to take us to sudden death proved that they are worth their salt. My aim was to win and the girls played with all the teams to come out on top," Mr Tuju said.

He also commended the tournament organisers for the sifting process of team selection, noting that the teams were well matched.

His counterpart, Fidel Omondi, who leads the Passengers men's team, said they took it one game at a time to get to the final. He added that they attributed their victory to their resilience on the field and God rewarding their hard work.

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Tournament director, Jacob Githinji, says the event was started in 2016 to support local hockey clubs and also to commemorate the memory of Betty Tioni.

The tournament has grown in popularity across the country, with an increase in the number of teams participating each year.

"There has been a tremendous growth in the number of teams that want to participate in this tournament. In the first edition we had 20 teams registered. This year's tournament had the highest number of entries with 32 men's teams and 16 women's teams. I am happy that the event was successful and I am grateful that the teams came out in large numbers to ensure that the memory and legacy of Tioni lives on," Mr Githinji said.

While recounting the impact Tioni had at Greensted School during her time as a PE teacher, the head of sports at Greensted International School, Linet Atieno, described Tioni as a quiet person who enjoyed sports in many ways.

"I remember Betty officiating at the Kenya National Secondary Sports Games and she did it so well. Here at the school, she was always tender, caring and loving with the students, something that motivated the children to do well in their sports," Ms Atieno said.

According to Ms Atieno the success of their hockey team is due to the progress she (Tioni) made in coaching the players while she was there.

"Her tradition and way of doing things has been passed on in this school, which gives us an advantage in sports. We have chosen to remember her through sports because that is what she loved so much," Ms Atieno said.

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Lakers and Passengers win 2023 Nakuru Open, Betty Tioni Hockey Tournament

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