Athletics assured, Kenya casts net wider for medals

• Twelve-edition veteran nation to enter 120 athletes in 14 different disciplines in Delhi, including those the country is not known for

Four years ago, Kenya confirmed to the world that whenever it competes at an international competition there is always something new, and faster, that comes up.

The world had better accept that in boxing, rugby sevens, middle distance and endurance terms they are likely to be faster and better than anything the opposition is likely to produce.

In 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Australia, it was the chance of Janeth Jepkosgei to blossom. Two years later, at the Beijing Olympics, two prodigies – Pamela Jelimo and Nancy Jebet Lagat – emerged. And in Berlin World Championship it was time for Abel Kirui and Vivian Cheruiyot.

Now the question lingers as to who will sprout to claim the ‘new sensation’ tag in Delhi as Kenya prepares for the 19th edition of the Club Games in India.

In 1920 Kenya became a British colony and four decades later, in 1963, the country gained its independence and joined the Commonwealth. The country has since competed in the 1954, 1958, and 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and is now a veteran of 12 attendances with a total of 144 medals, 53 of them gold.

Main provider of medals

Athletics and boxing have for a long time remained Kenya’s main provider of medals at international championships and next month’s Games will not be different.

Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania have selected the maximum 10 boxers for the event. Africa will have 18 boxing teams while Europe and Oceania are a distant second in the entry list with 45 each.

In Melbourne, Kenya participated in a number of events and secured six gold, five silver and seven bronze medals. It finished tenth overall with 18 medals.

President Mwai Kibaki honoured and rewarded the winners upon their return home. Each gold medallist got a cheque of Sh500,000 as silver winners pocketed Sh300,000 each. A bronze medal fetched Sh200,000 for the winner while a token of Sh10,000 went out to each one of the team members.

The athletes won gold in both the men’s and women’s events – including the men’s 5,000m, 3,000m Steeplechase and 800m races. Women participants managed to win 5,000m, 800m and 10,000m.

Kenya was also the recipient of silver medals in both men’s and women’s marathon races.

Three disciplines stand out

Apart from athletics, Kenya also won bronze medals in boxing.

Francis K Paul, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) secretary-general, said they expect to enter about 120 athletes in 14 different disciplines. However, three stand out: track and field, boxing, and swimming.

“These ones are our strong areas and we are taking more people than any other. Apart from boxing and athletics, the other disciplines have not handed in their team lists,” said Paul.

This has forced the officials to postpone their residential training camp by a week.

“The team was supposed to get into camp on Monday, but because some of the teams are yet to finalise their selection we have given them one week to do so,” Paul explained.

Boxing and swimming will each have 10 slots while athletics has been given 53. That explains why the blooming of great athletes has been witnessed in track and field.

In Delhi, there will be little pressure on the 2007 World 800m women’s champion Jepkosgei when she steps on the track.

Having burst to the world scene in 2006 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to end Mozambique’s iconic Maria “Maputo Express” Mutola’s reign in the two-lap race, the “Eldoret Express” proved her victory was no fluke in walking through the folklore and winning Kenya’s first middle distance gold medal in women’s competition at the 2007 Osaka World Championship.

She followed it up with silver in the Beijing Olympics, where she was edged out by compatriot Pamela Jelimo, and ended up second to lose her world crown to South Africa’s prodigy Caster Semenya in Berlin last year.

Looking to get her revenge

Jepkosgei is now looking to get her revenge against the South African as the two meet for the second time in as many attempts this season. The Kenyan might have got victory against Semenya in Brussels to win the Samsung Diamond League, but for her to successfully defend her title she will need more inspiration.

Other champions who will be expecting to successfully defend their titles include World 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi.

However, there was no room for Lucy Kabuu, winner of the women’s 10,000m, Alex Kipchirchir (800m), Augustine Choge (5,000m) and Isabella Ochichi (5,000m), all of whom were dropped because of loss of form. Jepkosgei was named in a strong delegation for the track and field.

NOC-K yet to get training venue

Team Kenya is expected to move to training camp this week although NOC-K is yet to settle on the venue, with Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, still undergoing renovation.

The disciplines that Kenyans will be competing in during the Delhi Games include rugby, boxing, swimming, cycling, badminton, squash, weight lifting, wrestling, tennis, table tennis, shooting, bowling and Paralympics.