Nock confirms Youth Olympic contingent

Edinah Jebitok

Kenya's Edinah Jebitok leads the 1500m finals during the Iaaf World Under-18 Athletics Championship at the Moi International Sports Centre,Kasarani on July 15, 2017. 

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Team Kenya Chef de Mission to the Games, Anthony Kariuki, disclosed Monday that the team was selected exclusively from disciplines that took part at Africa Youth Games held July 18-28 in Algiers, Algeria
  • That effectively locks out plans by Athletics Kenya to include athletes who have qualifying times from elsewhere away from the Africa Youth Games
  • Germany-based Maria Brunlehner, who struck two gold medals and a silver in swimming at the Africa Youth Games is Kenya’s sole representative in swimming
  • Men’s hockey team will comprise nine players and two officials to the Games that have been sponsored by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya

Twenty athletes drawn from athletics, swimming and hockey will represent Kenya at the Youth Olympic Games due October 4-16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Team Kenya Chef de Mission to the Games, Anthony Kariuki, disclosed Monday that the team was selected exclusively from disciplines that took part at Africa Youth Games held July 18-28 in Algiers, Algeria.

Kariuki noted that their efforts to lobby for athletes who attained qualifying marks from other championships besides the Africa Youth Games hit a snag after the organisers turned down their request.

That effectively locks out plans by Athletics Kenya to include athletes who have qualifying times from elsewhere away from the Africa Youth Games.

Kenya will now be represented by five boys and five girls in athletics.

They include javelin throwers Martha Nthanza Musai, who won gold in girls’ championship at the Africa Youth Games and Ita Nao, who claimed silver in boys’ event.

Fancy Cherono, who won gold in girls’ 2,000m steeplechase and Dennis Mutuku Matheka, who settled for silver in the boys’ competition, also make the team alongside the winning 1,500m duo of World Under-18 1,500m bronze medallist Edinah Jebitok and Nickson Pariken.

Francis Leshoo and Angela Ndungwa will battle in boys’ and girls’ 800m with Jackson Kavesa and Mercy Chepkorir making the 3,000m team.

Germany-based Maria Brunlehner, who struck two gold medals and a silver in swimming at the Africa Youth Games is Kenya’s sole representative in swimming.

Brunlehner, who will fly direct from her Germany base to Buenos Aires, will be accompanied by one official.

Men’s hockey team will comprise nine players and two officials to the Games that have been sponsored by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock).

“We have tried to appeal to the organisers to accept more slots for those who attained qualifying standards elsewhere especially in athletics but the organisers decline sticking to qualifiers from the continental event,” said Kariuki, who is also the Nock treasurer.

Kariuki said Nock will be the sole sponsor for Team Kenya for the Buenos Aires Games after the government expressed its inability having funded the team to the continental Games.

Nock had submitted a budget of Sh39 million to the government.

Athletics team that is putting up at Sports View Hotel, Kasarani started their residential training on Friday while the hockey team began on Sunday. The hockey team will train at City Park.

Kenya claimed five medals; two gold, two silver and one bronze all from athletics at the previous Youth Olympics held in Nanjing 2014.