Kenya 7s forward among finalists for prestigious award

Kenya Sevens and Kabras Sugar forward Kevin Wekesa has been named among the 15 finalists for the 2025 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Climate Action Awards.

The global recognition celebrates individuals and organisations within the Olympic Movement taking bold steps to combat climate change through sport.

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The winners will be unveiled ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, where the IOC will honour outstanding sustainability initiatives driving real environmental impact across the world.

Wekesa’s nomination stems from his pioneering initiative, “Play Green,” which promotes eco-conscious behaviour in sports.

Through the project, the Kenya 7s speedster provides aluminium water bottles to both the men’s and women’s national rugby teams, an effort that eliminates approximately 144 single-use plastic bottles per training session, translating to nearly 1,000 bottles saved every week.

Beyond the national setup, Play Green has expanded its reach to over 40 schools across Kenya, integrating mentorship and sustainability workshops to inspire the next generation to take climate action.

The programme has already seen schoolchildren plant more than 2,300 trees, highlighting Wekesa’s commitment to using rugby as a platform for environmental stewardship.

Wekesa joins a distinguished list of global athletes making remarkable strides in sustainability.

Among them are Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley, who has championed climate action plans within athletics bodies, and New Zealand hockey player Hugo Inglis, co-founder of High Impact Athletes, which has mobilised over 240 athletes to channel more than USD 2 million towards climate and health initiatives.

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The list also features Canadian duo Oliver Scholfield and Gabrielle Smith.

Scholfield’s Racing to Zero consultancy helps sports federations shrink their environmental footprint, while Smith’s Rising Tides project has removed over 335 kilograms of underwater waste, and provided environmental education for children from underprivileged backgrounds.