Kenya's Triathlon team set for Glasgow Games debut
PHOTO | FILE Peter Leonhard Distler from German leads members of the Mombasa Judo Club through a training session at the Little Theatre Club in November 2012. The Kenyan Judo team is set to make a comeback in the 20th Commonwealth Games in Scotland next year.
What you need to know:
- Judo will also be making a comeback in the “Club” Games where Kenya will be represented by a contingent of 265 athletes and officials who will take part in15 disciplines.
- Athletics once gain has the highest number of 67 participants (30 men, 22 women, 12 officials) in the total squad of 188 athletes and 53 officials.
Kenya’s Triathlon team will make its debut at the 20th Commonwealth Games due July 23 to August 3 next year in Glasgow, Scotland.
Judo will also be making a comeback in the “Club” Games where Kenya will be represented by a contingent of 265 athletes and officials who will take part in15 disciplines.
Archery and lawn tennis have been dropped by virtue of the hosts not having facilities for the events. The Kenya Judo team, which is making a return since the 2002 Manchester Games, has a quarter of four men and three women.
The triathlon event that involves the standard "Olympicdistance" of 1.5 km swim, 40km bike and 10km run will have two men and a similar number of women representation.
Athletics once gain has the highest number of 67 participants (30 men, 22 women, 12 officials) in the total squad of 188 athletes and 53 officials.
Other disciplines are Elite Athletics with Disabilities (EAD) (15 men-13 women- 10 officials); badminton (8-3-3); boxing (8-3-3); Bowling (3-3-2); cycling (7-7-4); Judo (4-3-2); Rugby Sevens (12-0-3); squash (3-3-2); shooting (5-4-3); table tennis (3-3-2); weightlifting (4-2-2-) and swimming (6-6-2).
Kenya Team chef de mission Stephen Soi said they have already presented a budget of Sh322m to the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture for funding.
However, Soi clarified that they will be seeking at least Sh250m from the government while the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) will offset the rest. The amount will go towards the Kenya Team preparations, qualification and actual competition during the 12-day “Club” Games.
Kenya was represented by 252 athletes and officials in 15 disciplines during the previous 2010 Delhi Games in India, where close to Sh141 million was used with the government spending Sh108m on the team. NOCK used close to Sh34m on the team.
Kenya could have finished fifth in Delhi but was their best ever “Club” Games with a haul of 33 medals; 12 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze.
Soi said even though the Kenya Team management committee has held several meetings with the ministry including the Cabinet Secretary Dr Hassan Wario, they are still hoping the government avails the funds by January 2014.
