Christine, who made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, became the first Kenyan women to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games in boxing after competing in the featherweight division.

Olympian Rosario Danilo joins his compatriot as a scholar of the programme after his participation in the men’s 100 metre freestyle, 4x100m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100 mixed medley relay.

Tennis player Angella Okutoyi and javelin thrower Alexander Kiprotich also received scholarships.

Okutoyi became the first Kenyan to triumph in a girls’ junior Grand Slam match at the Australian Open as a 17-year-old earlier this year.

Kiprotich, 27, won a gold at the 2013 African Junior Championships and bronze at the 2016 African Championships.

He also competed at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Other athletes to be awarded were table tennis player Brian Ndunda Mutua, wrestler Mathayo Matonya Mahabila, rower Samuel Muturi and triathlon athlete Kiarie Josette Umi Njeri.

Cycling’s Debe Nancy Akinyi, taekwondo’s Wakoli Sharon and shooting’s Priscilla Mburu were also recipients of the scholarship.

"The awards therefore mean that the International Federations have confidence that the athletes have the potential to qualify for the Olympics if they put in the work," Francis Mutuku, the secretary general of NOC-K, said.

"The scholarships were given based on exemplary performance in the past and present of an athlete and what the future towards the Olympic Games at a glance seems."