NOC-K want modern equipment to be used by national teams
Kenya's Pamela Masaisai (left), Lorine Chebet (centre) block an attack from Burundi as Joy Lusenaka provides cover on the back court during their African Nations Championships Pool "B" match at Kigali Arena on September 16, 2021.
What you need to know:
- NOC-K has written to the federations to start their respective qualification and selection processes.
- Sports that will require qualification processes are table tennis, weightlifting, beach volleyball, hockey, netball – women, rugby sevens for both men and women.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) wants Team Kenya probables for 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in camp as early as next month.
Kenya intends to take an estimated 200 athletes for the “Club” Games due July 28 to August 8 next year in the United Kingdom.
NOC-K’s modernisation of national teams training through their enriched Elite Performance Commission is what the committee wants to achieve beyond the “Club” Games in the UK.
This is part of NOC-K president Paul Tergat’s legacy plan for the year 2022-2024 where his executive is geared towards implementing structures that will improve their High Performance Training Centre further.
“We want to start the modernisation with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games where outdated training methods will be scrapped with teams being given modern equipment that suit their trade,” said NOC-K secretary general Francis Mutuku.
“We saw how the women’s volleyball team upped their training with modern training equipment. Rugby sevens have always been advanced in their training and that is what we want with the rest,” explained Mutuku, adding that they will ensure that the government provides physical infrastructure.
Mutuku told federations to prepare to name their tentative sides for the Commonwealth Games early for training.
“Our target is to field strong teams and in numbers at the 2023 African Games, 2024 Paris Olympics and 2026 Youth Olympics,” said Mutuku.
Mutuku disclosed that NOC-K and the Ministry of Sports are currently engaged in setting up the structures and systems for management of the Games.
The Steering and Central Management Committees and appointment of the key officials of the games including the Chef de Mission, General Team Manager and Executive Officer will be constituted by the end of next month.
“The Team is also currently developing the manual and budget for the Games and should be completed in a month’s time,” said Mutuku.
Kenya was represented by 136 athletes during the previous 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where the country amassed 17 medals; four gold, seven silver and six bronze.
“It’s our projection that we shall get at least 20 medals six of which we expect to be gold,” said Mutuku, who further disclosed that the NOC-K team has been holding meetings with the organisers of the Birmingham Games.
Some disciplines will have direct qualifications including: swimming, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling (road, track and Mountain Bike), gymnastics, judo, lawn bowls, squash, triathlon and wrestling.
NOC-K has written to the federations to start their respective qualification and selection processes.
Sports that will require qualification processes are table tennis, weightlifting, beach volleyball, hockey, netball – women, rugby sevens for both men and women.
