Feature: Kenyan hockey slowly reclaiming continental supremacy after years in doldrums

After 25 years in the doldrums, Kenyan hockey is on the path to regaining past glory.

Kenya were last crowned African hockey champions during the Fourth All Africa Games in 1987. Then they slid into oblivion.

The foundation that former national team player, the late Tobias Oduor, put in the 1990s to revamp women's hockey seems to be bearing fruit because his efforts have hugely turned around fortunes to make hockey one of the most successful team sports in the country.

"He encouraged young players to take up the sport and used his personal resources to support needy players and was also instrumental in the formation of top women's clubs in Kenya," former Kenya Hockey Union Chairman, Resham Bains told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Women's hockey is now enjoying high status in the country and the continent after local hockey champions, Telkom Orange maintained their dominance in the continent after they successfully retained the Africa Club Championship title after they beat Ghana Revenue Authority 2-0 in Nairobi this month.

The victory meant Orange claimed the title five times in a row a record ninth time in total, the most by any side in Africa.

During the same tournament, Kenya narrowly missed the men's title after Kenya Police fell 3-2 to Eastern Company of Egypt in penalty shootout following a barren draw in regulation time during the finals.

Local clubs are also giving a good account of themselves at continental level where they share top spots with clubs from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia.

"The country is now among the top three hockey-playing nations in Africa and has been oscillating between silver and bronze medals on the African scene," former national team player," Panesar Singh said.

Whereas Kenya is celebrating hockey's resurgence, financial hiccups that weaken the game must be addressed, which at times have seen teams forfeit their place at international tournaments held outside the country after the Africa Hockey Union hiked competition fees from 320 U.S. dollars to 1,100 dollars. Endit