Kenya has been nominated for the 2024 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards in three categories. The Junior Starlets team, striker Valarie Nekesa and head coach Mildred Cheche, have all been nominated for the CAF Awards.
Seventeen-year-old Nekesa is among the 10 nominees for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.
She will be facing Cathy Biya (Cameroon / Eclair), Naomi Eto (Cameroon / Amazone FAP), Habiba Sabry (Egypt /FC Masar), Stella Nyamekye (Ghana / Dreamz Ladies) and Valerie Nekesa (Kenya / Madira Girls).
The other five contestants are Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR), Lina Mokhtar Jamai (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain), Chiamaka Okuchukwu (Nigeria / Rivers Angels), Flourish Sabastine (Nigeria / Stade de Reims) and Nthabiseng Majiya (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns).
Nekesa, a student at Madira Girls, was key in Kenya’s first qualification for the FIFA World Cup.
She scored against Burundi during the qualifiers and netted Kenya’s first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup.
Coach of the Year Award
Coach Mildred Cheche, who led the team to the tournament, has been nominated for Women’s Football Coach of the Year.
Cheche expressed her gratitude for being nominated for the CAF – Coach of the Year award in the women’s category.
The Coach said her recognition together with the team for the great contribution of women’s football development in Kenya is an honor and great achievement.
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She thanked the technical bench, junior starlets’ girls, the federation, ministry of sports, ministry of education, schools, grassroots clubs and all our Kenyan fans for their immense support and encouragement.
“Your invaluable support has encouraged me to continue striving for excellence. I am truly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be considered for this prestigious award,” she said.
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Cheche is contesting against Hassan Balla Abdousalami (Cameroon U-20), Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe), Ahmed Ramadan (FC Masar), Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR) and Bankole Olowookere (Nigeria U-17).
The others are Chris Danjuma (Nigeria U-20), Moses Adukwu (Edo Queens), Mbayang Thiam (Aigles de la Medina) and Thinasonke Mbuli (University of the Western Cape).
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Junior Starlets Nominated for CAF Awards
Additionally, the Junior Starlets have been shortlisted for Women’s National Team of the Year.
Kenya’s U-17 team was one of only three African sides to feature at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, alongside Zambia and Nigeria.
The team faces stiff competition, Cameroon U-20, Malawi, Morocco, Morocco U-20, Nigeria, Nigeria U-17, Nigeria U-20, South Africa and Zambia.
The event will be held on December 16 in Marrakesh, Morocco.
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