Why competitive pool is fast gaining popularity in Nakuru
Geoffrey Kibet playing during the Space Pool Fiesta on February 2, 2025.
Competitive pool appears to be gaining popularity in Nakuru, transitioning from a casual pastime into one of the county’s fastest-growing sports.
The rising appetite for professional competition is now driving a wave of tournaments across local entertainment venues in the county, with the latest being the three-category Wave XO second edition set for November 28 to 30 with a total prize money of Sh 529,000 up for grabs.
The event marks Nakuru’s fifth sanctioned pool tournament this year, a sign of Nakuru city’s expanding influence in Kenya’s cue sports scene.
In an interview with Mtaa Wangu, Martin Kihato, the tournament director, Kenya Pool & Billiards Federation (KPBF), says Nakuru is currently the second most active county for pool tournaments after Nairobi.
He notes that the federation has already sanctioned more than 20 tournaments across Kenya in 2025 alone, with Nakuru emerging as a strong hub for competitive play.
“Besides Nairobi, Nakuru is the region with the most tournaments. Space Next Door has hosted two events this year, Chillies Tervan has hosted one, and now Wave XO is hosting its second edition. The numbers keep growing because players want competitive platforms,” Kihato says.
He notes the upcoming Wave XO tournament is a partnership between the venue and KPBF and will feature three major categories, including the Open Men’s Category, the biggest draw which targets 128 players, with the champion set to win Sh 120,000.
The second category is the Open Ladies Category which feature 32 participants, reflecting efforts to elevate women in the sport with a prize money set to sh 50,000.
The final group is the Seniors Category, reserved for players aged 50 and above, and also targeting 32 entrants and a prize money of sh 50,000.
“Wave XO edition forms part of a national pool tournament circuit, similar to how rugby events rotate around the country. We partner with venues to boost their businesses while growing the sport. You can’t hold all tournaments in one venue. These tournaments rotate between, Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa and players travel to compete,” he says.
“We want to break the notion that pool is just gambling. It is a sport recognized under the Sports Act, and people can play it professionally and earn a living from it,” he tells Mtaa Wangu.
He further says looking ahead, KPBF hopes to elevate Nakuru and other county talents to national and international platforms.