Kip Keino, Obiero lead Team Kenya to Glasgow Games
Kenya's flagbearer Mercy Obiero leads the delegation during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Celtic Park in Glasgow on July 23, 2014. PHOTO | GLYN KIRK
What you need to know:
- In his heyday, Kipchoge won three gold medals at the Games. His triumph in the One Mile and Three Mile events in the 1996 Kingston Games were followed by the 1,500m gold, which came in the 1970 Edinburgh Games.
- The ceremony, which featured a volunteer cast of 1,319 and 41 Scottish Terriers, saw Rod Stewart, Amy MacDonald and John Barrowman rock the evening away with great musical performances.
Clad in a white tuxedo, Kenyan running legend Kipchoge Keino ushered the flag into the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, just minutes after Queen Elizabeth II, who wore a white dress, had made her entry in her official royal Cadillac car to a rousing crowd.
Alongside Kipchoge were other representatives of the six regions of the Commonwealth Games — Graham Randall, Chantal Peticleric, Ian Thopre, Shelley Ann Fraser-Pryce and Nicol Davie.
In his heyday, Kipchoge won three gold medals at the Games. His triumph in the One Mile and Three Mile events in the 1996 Kingston Games were followed by the 1,500m gold, which came in the 1970 Edinburgh Games.
He later won bronze in 5,000 at the Edinburgh event.
Before Keino’s entry into the arena, Kenya, which is represented by 195 athletes at the Glasgow Games, strutted into the home of Celtic Football Club led by overall deputy captain Mercy Obiero, who carried the national flag.
Obiero, who is making her second appearance as a weightlifter at the “Club” Games, was guided into the stadium by a Scottish Terrier labelled “Kenya” and his handler to rousing cheers from the 40,000 spectators.
FUNDRAISER FOR CHILDREN
The ceremony, which featured a volunteer cast of 1,319 and 41 Scottish Terriers, saw Rod Stewart, Amy MacDonald and John Barrowman rock the evening away with great musical performances.
And, for the first time, the opening ceremony also featured a Commonwealth-wide fundraiser for children thanks to the Games’ partnership with Unicef.
Speeches were led by First Minister Alex Salmond, culminating in a message from the British monarch, who remembered the victims of the MH17 plane crash by leading the crowd in observing a minute of silence in their honour.
Kenyans will today remember the good old days when their boxers reigned supreme at the Games.
Out of the team’s nine boxers, including two women, four will be in action Friday.
Benson Gicharu has been handed a preliminary round bout against Imran Khan from Guyana in bantamweight while Okwiri takes on Clair Merven from Mauritius in welterweight preliminary contest.
Simon Mulinge is up against Imannule Shapaka from Nambia in flyweight preliminary.
