In Tokyo

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and National Olympic Committee of Kenya officials, led by President Paul Tergat, were Sunday united in lifting up spirits of eliminated Kenyan boxers.

They offered consolation as Team Kenya’s track and field athletes arrived at the Olympic Village here.

Speaking after Christine Ongare lost to Irish Magno of the Philipines in a flyweight bout Sunday, Amina said Kenya still remains proud of the strides the sport of boxing has taken.

Ongare’s loss came hot on the heels of Nick Okoth’s defeat by Mongolia’s Tsenedbaatar Erdenebat in their featherweight contest at Tokyo’s Kokugikan Arena the previous day,

“It’s a wonderful journey for all of us… we are getting back into boxing,” the CS said.

“Nick and Christine are opening the door for everyone else and I’m proud of them. They have done an amazing job and everyone is talking about how hard Christine worked and how well she did.”

Amina pledged to support Ongare’s boxing career “so that she can realise her dreams” and urged Team Kenya to stay focused in the upcoming assignments.

Tergat said Ongare’s performance was a huge step forward for women in sport: “For the girl child to make it to the Olympics is a huge step – it’s the dream of each and every sportsman or woman to make it to the Olympics. We need to celebrate Christine.”

National Olympic Committee of Kenya’s Secretary General Francis Mutuku said all is well in the Kenyan camp with the arrival of track and field athletes having increased the excitement.

“We’ve been in camp for four days at the Village and the biggest contingent, which is athletics, joined us last night in the camp and all the team sports are in camp and everybody is ready to fly the Kenyan flag very high with a lot of pride,” Mutuku said.