Mount Kenya University (MKU) delivered a strong and spirited performance at the 10th Kenya University Sports Federation (KUSF) National Games, finishing third overall as the championships concluded on Friday at the University of Eldoret.

MKU amassed a total of 21 gold, 25 silver and 26 bronze medals, narrowly missing out on the overall title by just three gold medals.

United States International University–Africa (USIU-A) topped the medal table with 24 gold, 13 silver and 21 bronze medals, while Kenyatta University settled for second place after collecting 23 gold, 22 silver and 26 bronze medals. A total of 21 universities took part in the highly competitive national games.

Despite falling short of the top spot, MKU’s performance stood out, particularly due to the impressive showing by its youthful teams.

The university’s karate team emerged as one of the biggest revelations of the games. Nicknamed the “young Turks,” the karatekas were making their debut at a major national competition, with most of the athletes drawn from the September 2025 intake.

MKU Sports, Film, Creative and Performing Arts Coordinator William Luta said the performances by the young athletes were a major highlight for the institution.

“I am in awe of how our teams have performed here. Most of these players are young, unexposed talents from the recent September intake, but they have shown a very positive attitude, resilience and hunger to compete. They fought bravely for the honour of their institution,” said Luta.

The woodball team was MKU’s most outstanding unit, accounting for a significant portion of the university’s medal haul. The team was largely composed of young players, supported by a few experienced athletes, following the graduation of several senior players just days before the competition.

“They comfortably fitted into the shoes of the senior players who had graduated and were automatically locked out of the games. That level of maturity and confidence from such a young group is encouraging,” Luta noted.

The swimming team also delivered strongly, returning home with a basket of medals and further boosting MKU’s overall standing. Other disciplines that contributed to the medal tally included taekwondo for both men and women, men’s tennis, men’s and women’s badminton, men’s and women’s table tennis, men’s darts, and athletics for both men and women.

However, MKU’s performance in athletics and taekwondo was affected by the absence of several key athletes who are currently undergoing training with the Kenya Army and the Kenya Police Service.

The missing athletes have traditionally been among the university’s strongest medal contenders.

“Our performance was affected by the absence of some of our strongest athletes who have been absorbed into different uniformed forces,” Luta explained.

“This weakened our athletics and taekwondo teams, where we have been dominant in the past. Competition was very stiff this year and all universities came well prepared,” he added.

Off the field, MKU made a strong statement through its branding and organisation. All teams were fully kitted in branded uniforms across the various disciplines, while the university’s transport motorcade attracted attention, led by its newly acquired digital sports bus.

“The recently acquired Marco Polo bus is a statement on how serious the university is when it comes to talent nurturing and support for sports and creative activities,” said Luta.

He added that the games had also served as a valuable learning experience for the university, highlighting areas that need improvement.

“This event has been a learning point for us. We need to improve our training facilities and also facilitate our students to participate in more competitive and friendly matches to gain exposure and confidence,” he said.

While MKU had set its sights on finishing higher, Luta said the third-place position was still a positive outcome.

“Managing third position was not our intention, but we welcome it and we shall go back to work on our shortfalls. The competition is very high and the standards continue to rise every year,” he said.

Looking ahead, MKU is optimistic about the future, buoyed by the promise shown by its young athletes.

“As we head back home, we are proud of our achievements. We now look forward to 2026 for more sporting adventures, better performances on the competitive field and continued nurturing of young talents,” Luta said.

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