Birmingham Notebook - Day 1

In Birmingham

Anxiety as Kenyan stars running kit, spikes go missing

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There are jitters in Team Kenya after the 5,000 metres duo of Daniel Simiu and Nicholas Kimeli failed to get their bags on arrival in Birmingham on Thursday from the World Championships in Oregon, United States.

Also to miss her luggage was the World 800m bronze medallist Mary Moraa.

Moraa and Kimeli were lucky to get some of their bags, having also carried their running spikes in their handbags to the cabin. 

Simiu’s running spikes among other clothes were in the missing bags.

The three athletes, who had arrived from Oregon via Paris were left with no other choice but to fill in the forms at the missing items at the luggage desk at the Birmingham International Airport.

The athletes also bumped into Wycliffe Kinyamal’s luggage at the airport and had to ferry it to him.

Simiu will have to seek for other alternative running kit and clothes in case he won’t get his luggage on time as athletics track sessions beckon on Tuesday.

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Sorry, no goodie bags for accredited media

The media covering international events across the world have had a privilege of getting media packs among other goodies provided by the organisers especially in handbags.

This year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have been marked with a difference and a change from tradition.

Press packs have been provided on soft copy in mails journalists registered for the Games on. Events like the World Athletics Championships have had volunteers providing printed copies for journalists covering the events besides the soft copies, everything is provided online at the Games media centres.

What journalists get to enjoy, however, is free tea, coffee and snacks provided at these media centres. Nevertheless, considerable “heavy meals” are charged but on subsidised rates.

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Road charges here make Kenya paradise of sorts

If the strict Birmingham City traffic rules are to be introduced on Nairobi or other major roads in other cities then we might end up with quite a few drivers remaining with licenses.

Speed limits are religiously followed as I noticed when my former school mate Moses Avutaga chauffeured me from his place that was almost over 35kms to Coventry Stadium, the venue for sevens rugby.

Unlike Kenya where people complain about the Expressway charges, drivers intending to use the M6 Toll Expressway pay between 20 (Sh 2,860) to 100 (Sh14,300) sterling pounds depending on the size of the vehicles.

Those breaking traffic rules for instance speeding or driving on emergency lanes are fined between 60 (Sh8,580) and 100 (Sh14,300) sterling pounds.

For every offence committed a driver gets three points. Nine points leads to revocation of the driver’s license hence fresh training.