Kenya clinch second straight Singlife Nations Cup Netball Title after dominant win over Singapore
Kenya, ranked 23rd in the world, delivered another dominant performance that capped an unbeaten run throughout the week-long competition at the OCBC Arena.
Kenya’s netball team showed class, power and determination as they silenced hosts Singapore 55–42 to claim their second consecutive Singlife Nations Cup title.
The African side, ranked 23rd in the world, delivered another dominant performance that capped an unbeaten run throughout the week-long competition at the OCBC Arena.
The team’s celebrations were marked by chants and dance to Jowi, a Luo song symbolising the strength of a buffalo that never backs down — a fitting reflection of Kenya’s spirited display on the court.
Their confidence and chemistry were evident from start to finish as they overcame a determined Singapore side that had hoped to avenge last year’s final defeat.
Kenya’s captain Parin Simiyu, 44, said the win was a result of months of preparation, teamwork and a strong sense of unity among the players.
“We feel great about the win because we expected this when we were coming,” she said.
“We knew the other teams were tough opponents and winning the championship again would not be easy, so we prepared ourselves well. Above all, staying in unity and playing with love have also played a very big role in our team winning here today.”
The Kenyan team dominated the tournament from start to finish, posting victories over Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore A, and the Isle of Man in the preliminary rounds.
Their smooth coordination and sharp shooting carried into the final match as they brushed off Singapore’s early pressure.
Backed by over 1,600 cheering fans, the home team took a 2–0 lead, but Kenya soon found their footing and began dictating the game.
By the end of the first quarter, they were 17–12 ahead, stretching the gap to 29–21 by halftime.
The visitors suffered a brief setback when goal shooter Lydia Nyapere was injured after converting all her 20 early attempts, but returned after the break to continue her scoring spree.
Singapore fought hard to close the gap to 35–32 in the third quarter, but Kenya’s defensive discipline and precise finishing restored their lead.
The duo of Nyapere and Hellen Sinoya were unstoppable, scoring 39 and 14 goals respectively to hand Kenya the victory.
Kenya coach Everlyne Cherono praised her players for their focus and collective effort, saying the team had grown stronger since their last international outing.
“We played with good togetherness and high morale, and the players communicated well in defence and offence throughout the match,” she said. “Winning last year’s final helped us, but so did the loss in June. We went back and strategised, which is why we came here as a stronger team. This will help us prepare for the Africa Netball Cup in December.”
For Singapore, the defeat was painful but full of lessons ahead of the upcoming SEA Games. Co-captain Toh Kai Wei admitted the team struggled after a bright start.
“We did actually start well, but after 2-2, we started getting nervous because our passes weren’t going through. Then we started doing things we don’t usually do, and it took us a while to reset,” she said.
“But this is definitely a good build-up for the SEA Games, as we were able to identify our strengths and weaknesses and things we need to work on in the next three weeks to get ready for the SEA Games.”
Singapore coach Tara Steel also highlighted her players’ progress since their 61–33 loss in last year’s final.
“We are still building, and depth is a big opportunity and challenge for our squad, and we have had some players in and out through injury,” she said.
“We probably peaked one game too early with the win against Malaysia. But everybody had growth moments throughout the week, so we’ll only get stronger as a team with that experience.”
Elsewhere, Papua New Guinea defeated Malaysia 69–54 to finish third, while Singapore A clinched fifth place after a 53–39 victory over the Isle of Man.
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