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By:
Bismarck Mutahi | |||||||||
| Posted:
Aug,06-2016 15:12:40
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The Rio 2016 Olympics will officially start today, August 5 after the opening ceremony and as usual focus will be on Team Kenya.
The world focus has never been on Kenya before like it will be at these Olympics. And, with the President's message of 'go and compete clean', Team Kenya has never been under such immense pressure.
Preparations to the games were not helped by doping stories which at one point even threatened to lock Kenya out of the games due to what World Anti-Doping Agency had called non-compliance. But the day is here and it is time for Kenyans to show why they are the best in the world.
Wesely Korir, the team captain and MP for Cherangany, said they understood the message from President Uhuru Kenyatta on doping.
"We have had serious lab testing here and none of us has tested positive. In fact I have been tested five times in camp and I am certain that we are sending a clean team to Rio. I echo the President's remark. And we have agreed to prove to the world that we are the cleanest athletes and most talented in the world," said Mr Korir, who is in the marathon squad.
Hyvin Kiyeng, the world 3,000m steeplechase champion, said she was certain Kenya would send a clean team to Rio.
Dope tests
"We have been tested several times in the camp and I have undergone five tests. Unless someone dopes on the way to Rio, which I am sure he will be caught. I felt bad in Beijing after winning the 3,000m steeplechase and, unknown to me, the media asked me to comment on the positive dope tests of two Kenyan athletes. I was shocked. Let it not happen again," said Ms Kiyeng.
The good show by Kenya at last year's World Championships in Beijing, China will also bring more pressure to Team Kenya as they try to replicate what the athletics team did in Beijing.
The track and field team will, however, have the support of the Rugby Sevens team, who on a good day will beat everyone on the rugby field.
However, before the track and field team starts competing from August 12, where almost all the Kenyan medals will come from, Shehzana Anwar will be the first Kenyan to compete as she will be in the archery first round competition at 7pm Saturday.
"My qualification was based on my win and this makes me the first woman in the sport to qualify for the Olympics in my country," Ms Anwar said as she looks forward to a debut to remember at the games.
Also competing Saturday will be Kenyan boxer Peter Mungai. He was set to know his opponent last night. Saturday will be a busy day for Kenyans as the rugby women team play their first match against New Zealand at 5:30pm Kenyan time before taking on France at 10pm.
Two swimmers Talisa Lanoe and Hamdan Bayusuf will be getting into the pool on Sunday and boxer Rayton Okwiri will be in the ring the same day. Boxer Benson Gicharu will not be fighting until Wednesday.
Rugby Sevens men team, where there is a realistic chance of a medal will be playing their opening match on Tuesday, with a date against Great Britain at 6pm Kenyan time before facing New Zealand in the second match at 11:30pm.
"We can win gold and we don't really care about who our opponents will be," team captain Andrew Amonde said.However, many Kenyans will be eagerly waiting for August 12 when the track and field competition starts.
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