The recently concluded CECAFA Under 20 championship saw Kenya finish second with a number of Sharks players in the squad. For Patrick Otieno, it was a special moment as the competition provided him with the opportunity to represent his country for the first time.

The teenager spoke to us about the experience and he clearly couldn’t hide his delight.

“For me it was a very special moment. To have that chance to represent my country on the pitch has been a dream for me and it finally came to be. It is the thing that I believe all athletes want and for me, it’s a very special thing”

He further added that the under 20 debut has gave him even more desire to work hard;

“I am motivated now to work even harder. I want to build on this and become a better player. This is just the beginning. I want to continue working so that very soon I can also be able to play for the national team at senior level.’

On scoring for the Kenya U20…

“It was special to grab a couple of goals for the team. I am working hard in that area of scoring goals because my position demands that I score goals. It is no longer about the number 9 scoring. As the wingers and midfielders, we must share the burden.”