By GPC Sports Correspondent
The University of Nairobi’s Hotrods Quartet emerged victorious at the inaugural Open Lanes Varsity Invitational finals, edging fellow UoN team Untamed to claim the title with 30 points.
Untamed finished second with 28 points, while Kenyatta University’s Endzone took third place with 22 points after a competitive series of races.
Also Read
Hotrods Quartet maintained a strong performance throughout the competition, earning 10 points in each race to finish top of the standings. Their victory earned them the grand prize of a fully paid trip to South Africa for a race experience.
The team captain said the victory was a result of teamwork, strategy and the ability to adapt to the different challenges presented during the competition.
“Winning the Open Lanes competition still feels surreal for me and my team. We are proud of ourselves, our strategy and our teamwork,” the captain said.
“Every race pushed us differently, and we had to rely on each other to make the right decisions as a team. This is an experience we will definitely never forget.”
The high-energy finale marked the culmination of weeks of campus qualifiers that brought together students from Kenyatta University, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Riara University, Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi.
Unlike conventional athletics competitions that primarily cater for elite athletes, Open Lanes featured specially designed races, including steeplechase and relay events, aimed at giving ordinary students an opportunity to compete.
The races tested participants’ speed, endurance, coordination and ability to work as a team, with teams required to determine how best to deploy their members across the different challenges to accumulate points.
Navalayo Osembo, Africa Director at On, said the concept was designed to make athletics more accessible while giving participants an opportunity to compete and enjoy the sport.
“The Open Lanes concept was designed to open up the track and give ordinary individuals an opportunity to compete, have fun and challenge themselves,” Osembo said.
“What we have witnessed through this series has been both entertaining and exciting to see the students embrace this sporting experience. The students have shown the power of teamwork and strategy.”
She said the organisers were pleased to reward the winning team with an opportunity to experience a race in South Africa.
From the campus qualifiers through the knockout rounds to the grand finale, Open Lanes gave students an opportunity to compete outside the traditional confines of elite athletics.
For Hotrods Quartet, the victory now opens the next chapter of their campaign, with a South African race experience awaiting them.
