Kenyan head arrives in Gold Coast, happy with venue

Kenya's head of delegation to the Commonwealth Games Barnabas Korir (centre) with a Gold Coast-based Kenyan professional Suzie Chesum (right) and a games official in Gold Coast on March 22, 2018. PHOTO | COURTESY |

What you need to know:

  • Track and field athletes staged a sit-in on Wednesday, demanding payment of their camp allowances and also sought to have a full consignment of their kit.
  • The situation cooled down after National Olympic Committee of Kenya President Paul Tergat arranged for kit that had just arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to be dispatched to the team’s camp.

With confusion reigning over Team Kenya’s delayed allowances and unevenly distributed Nike kit, Barnabas Korir, Kenya’s head of delegation to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, arrived in the Australian city on Thursday and termed as “satisfactory” local preparations for the April 4-15 action.

Track and field athletes staged a sit-in on Wednesday, demanding payment of their camp allowances and also sought to have a full consignment of their kit.

The situation cooled down after National Olympic Committee of Kenya President Paul Tergat arranged for kit that had just arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to be dispatched to the team’s camp.

Korir said he was happy with the arrangements in Gold Coast where he oversaw preparations for the Kenyan team. He was accompanied by other officials, namely his deputy Maina Kamau, Eliud Kariuki, the accreditation liaison officer, and Miriam Ndungu, an aide. He said Kenya’s High Commissioner to Australia, Isaiah Kabira, is co-ordinating the protocol arrangements.

“Among the items we concluded are accreditation for all the teams and sport entries, transportation of teams, accommodation, officials’ entitlements, preparation for team receptions and visiting of all sports venues which is still on going on,” said Korir.

EXPERIENCING SOME RAINS

“So far, every item has been attended to, and smoothly. We are also preparing the office and the medical and physiotherapy rooms. Both are adequate and ready for use.”