Kenya’s Olympics heroes receive more and more goodies
Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumba Murkomen during the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) gala awards at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on August 23, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Kenya finished 17th on the medals table with a harvest of 11 medals.
- Last week the State awarded the medallists through the cash reward scheme.
Team Kenya athletes have received more goodies following their sterling performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The team was feted on Friday night by the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), which announced cash awards for medallists and members of the Kenyan contingent to Paris.
At the awards gala attended by elite athletes, NOC-K President Paul Tergat said that the four gold medallists will each be awarded $10,000 (about Sh1,279,743), silver medallists $7,500 (Sh959,807) and bronze medallists $5,000 (Sh639,871).
Support staff will each receive Sh150,000.
Kenya sent 83 athletes to Paris. The nation finished 17th on the medals table with a harvest of 11 medals (four gold, two silver, five bronze).
Telecommunications giant Safaricom, which was a major sponsor of Team Kenya, gave a Sh2.2 million cash reward to be shared out by the medallists.
“I want to thank all those who contributed to the success we have seen at the Games and this should be a challenge to us that we have to press on and perform better in the other forthcoming events,” Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, said at the awards ceremony.
He said there was a plan to incorporate the Ministry of Education in talent development so that sports men and women are given scholarships from school all the way to the university.
Zizwe Awuor, Director of Brand and Marketing at Safaricom said that they were incredibly proud of Team Kenya for their outstanding performance.
“At Safaricom, it has always been our tradition to honour and celebrate our athletes. Today, we are thrilled to support the team by celebrating and rewarding them for their stellar performance and for raising our flag high on the global stage,” said Awuor.
The Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei said that the medallists will be rewarded with a five-day magical signature trip as part of appreciating their good performance.
Among the notable athlete’s present at the gala were, the Kenya Sevens stars the likes of George Ooro, Dennis Abukuse, Nygel Amaitsa, Vincent Onyala, Tony Omondi, and John Okoth.
Other athletes were Zeddy Cherotich of judo, men’s marathon bronze medallist Benson Kipruto and two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.
The medallists last week pocketed millions through the government cash reward scheme.
World Athletics also, for the first time in Olympic history, rewarded all gold medallists from the Paris Games with $50,000 (Sh6,398,015) each.
