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Hockey: Sikh Union Nairobi makes triumphant debut as FIH host
Sikh Union Club became the first club in Kenya and probably in Africa to have the latest deep blue synthetic surface
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Tue, 11, Aug 2026
- 02:34 EDT
- 29
It was a dream of Avtar Singh Sohal, a five-time Olympian, to get the latest deep blue surface at Sikh Union Club to coincide with the centenary celebrations of the club / Manjinder Singh Bansal and Del Mudher.
Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal and his parent club, Sikh Union Nairobi, could not have asked for more. In less than three months of commissioning of a deep blue synthetic surface at its Dasmesh Stadium, Sikh Union Club played host to the Youth Africa Cup and the Hockey 5s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments for both boys and girls. And to top it, both the host teams, boys and girls, qualified for the World Cup to be held later this year.
It was a dream of Avtar Singh Sohal, a five-time Olympian, to get the latest deep blue surface at Sikh Union Club to coincide with the centenary celebrations of the club. Hostile weather and other hardships notwithstanding, the new surface was commissioned just in time for the semifinals and finals of the Sikh Union Club Centenary Hockey Tournament in May this year.
Sikh Union Club became the first club in Kenya and probably in Africa to have the latest deep blue synthetic surface. It thus made the Kenyan Hockey Union eligible to host major FIH tournaments. And in less than three months of commissioning of the new surface, the FIH allocated the Youth Africa Cup, Hockey 5s World Cup Qualifying Tournament for Africa to Kenya. The venue was Dasmesh Stadium of Sikh Union Club.
The President of the African Hockey Federation, Saif Ahmed, who had been interim President of the International Hockey Federation for some months in 2022 after India’s Dr Narendra Batra quit the top FIH post, was the chief guest for the three-day tournament that featured five teams in the boys' section and four teams in the girls' section.
Kenya won the boys' title with an exciting 6-5 win over South Africa in the final. Kenya was the only team that remained unbeaten in the tournament. Nigeria beat Uganda 15-2 for the bronze medal.
In the girl’s section, South Africa beat Kenya 11-6 while Nigeria beat Ghana 4-3 to take the third spot.
Based on the performance of the teams, both Kenya and South Africa, boys and girls, qualified for the World Cup to be held later this year.
While appreciating the yeomen's services rendered by Avtar Singh Sohal in getting a deep blue surface at Sikh Union Club, Seif Ahmed, President of the African Hockey Federation, felicitated Avtar Singh Sohal.
The President of the Club, Nindi Chana, and Chairman of the Centenary Celebrations Committee, Manjinder Singh Bansal, joined Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal and Del Mudher in felicitating Seif Ahmed with a hat and the special commemorative volume released on centenary celebrations held in May this year.
At an earlier event, the Chairman of the Centenary Celebrations Committee, Manjinder Singh Bansal, felicitated both Olympian Avtar Singh Sohal and the Club's Secretary-General, Del Mudher, in recognition of their exemplary services to the Club.
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