Two juniors in Team Kenya for World Weightlifting Championships
Youngster Rachel Achieng' in action during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK on August 1, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Youngsters Achieng’ and Amunga are Form Three students at Mbagathi Road in Nairobi and Kamenu in Thika, respectively
- Osiemo bagged Kenya’s only medal (bronze) during the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Kenya has named eight athletes among them two Form Three students for the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships in Bogota, Colombia slated for December 5 to 16.
The eight are Joshua Amunga (61 kilogrames category), Geoffrey Otieno (73kgs), Maurice Aromo (89kgs), Janet Oduor (49kgs), Winny Langat (59kgs), Rachel Achieng' (74kgs), Juliana Anyango (81kgs) and USA-based Lorraine Ligale (+87kgs).
Youngsters Achieng’ and Amunga are Form Three students at Mbagathi Road in Nairobi and Kamenu in Thika, respectively. Achieng’ dethroned Kibibi Rashid, while Amunga stunned experienced Benjamin Osiemo during national selection which attracted 35 weightlifters three weeks ago at the Steel City Gym in Pangani.
Osiemo bagged Kenya’s only medal (bronze) during the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
“Our weightlifters are still training individually as we wait for government funding to enter residential camp next week. We would like to enter six men and six women for the event if funding allows,” Team Kenya coach Douglas Locho said on Monday.
This year’s global event was scheduled to be held in Chongqing, China but was moved to Bogota in March 2022 as a result of Covid-19 restrictions in China.
It serves as a qualification event for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
