Undeterred by virus, Ligi Ndogo goalie strives to stay fit in Ugenya

It's a few minutes to 5pm when Nation Sport catches up with goalkeeper Austine Oketch Odhiambo who plays for National Super League team Ligi Ndogo in Nairobi. 

Due to coronavirus pandemic which has paralysed sports activities globally, he has been held up in his rural home in Ugenya, Siaya County since March. He can't travel back to Nairobi because of cessation of movement into and out of the capital city as Kenya grapples to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Every evening , the 23-year-old makes a seven-kilometre journey to Nyaharwa Primary School grounds in Ugenya to hold individual training sessions.

“Since Kenya reported the first confirmed case of Covid-19, this place has become my training venue,” he says.
Unlike the well-equipped training camp he was used to in Nairobi, the young goalkeeper who had a one-year stint with Gor Mahia’s Under-20 team has been forced to train on a rugged pitch.

“My temporary training ground has no facilities at all, just a rugged and unkempt pitch with wooden goal posts. Besides, I lack a trainer and I do the work-outs all alone,” he said.

Determined to keep physically fit, he goes to the school's grounds in the evenings and trains for at least 30 minutes. 

He starts off with loading, before embarking on ball work and goalkeeping sessions.

Besides lack of equipment and training facilities that he must now contend with, the young player says his other headache is distractions to his schedule.

“I sometimes delay and get distracted from my training schedule. Here in the village, I have to do farm work and domestic chores which is necessary but it often eats up into my training time,” he said.

He started playing football while in Class Five at Magombe Primary school in Karadolo Sub-location in Ugenya Sub-County and during his time at St Charles Humwend Secondary School in Ukwala. He has also played for Sofco FC.

“While in secondary school, I was part of a team which represented Siaya County in 2018 regional secondary school games at Moi Stadium in Kisumu. We were awarded certificates by both Siaya County Government and Ministry of Education for being the champions,” he says.

Having been spotted by coach Jeremy Oluoch, Odhiambo immediately joined Gor Mahia's youth team after finishing secondary school education and played for the team in Football Kenya Federation Division One League.

He later joined Sofco Football Club where he stayed for six months before moving to Ligi Ndogo as first-choice goalkeeper in January this year. Ligi Ndogo is currently fourth in FKF Division One league.