The wait is over: Expectations high as Kenya parade among the world’s best in Glasgow

LEFT: TO GO WITH CW-GAMES-2014-PAK-WRESTLERS BY INAM HUSSAIN In this photograph taken on July 18, 2014, Pakistani wrestler Mohammad Inam (R) takes part during training session at a sports complex in Islamabad. RIGHT: Sprinter Stephen Baraza during his Commonwealth Games Training session at Kasarani Stadium on 02-07-2014.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Finally, the long wait is over. Expectations are high and the planets in the sporting universe have aligned and the stars are about to clash in the most spectacular fashion.
The Commonwealth Games, in which Kenya makes its 60-year-old stab without signs of fatigue, promises a cocktail of hope and exciting intrigue, as it always does.
Kenya made her debut in the major international competition at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada, where Nyandika Maiyoro finished fourth in the three-mile event, Lazaro Chepkwony' in seventh place in the six-mile race and the Kenyan team was fourth in the 4x400m relay.
With such memories playing up, Kenya's 195-member team, which tops entry lists alongside economic superpowers Canada and former colonial master Britain, will certainly produce tongue-wagging shows in the 15 sports disciplines entered.
The queen's baton relay, which usually sets the stage for the games, remains the fulcrum upon which the valves of colonialism unite the 71 participating nations.
And Kenya returned to the UK here after Manchester in 2002; picking it up from Edinburgh 1986 and 1970.
Incidentally, legends Kipchoge Keino and Ben Jipcho, who stamped Kenya's authority in the games in 1970, are here to inspire the team, who are as young as their grandchildren.
Jipcho, a triple track gold medalist in Christchurch in New Zealand in 1974, said: "I was here in Scotland (Edinburgh) in 1970, laid the ground and went out to shine. And I hope this team will do the same and win more medals at the Olympics in 2016."
It is another tour for Kenya Kenya to United Kingdom where they have an Herculean task – to improve on sixth place in New Delhi in 2010 and break new grounds in field events, sprints and rugby sevens – competing against 4,500 athletes from the 71 territories.
It is also about the England's double Olympic champion Mo Farah, who will act as the fulcrum upon which the men's 5,000m race will revolve even as the world awaits to see how return-from-injury world 800m record holder David Rudisha will perform.
The rugby sevens squad are expected to salvage hopes after Kenya dramatically lost to Namibia in the qualification to the Rugby World Cup 2015 in Antananarivo, Madagascar, recently.
Dr Wilfred Emonyi Injera, the medical laboratory scientist at Moi University's School of Medicine, based at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, will be keen to watch the action that starts on Saturday at Ibrox Stadium in Central Glasgow.
Dr Injera has his three sons in the national team here – centre man Humprey Kayange and wingers Michael Agevi and Collins Injera.
The sevens team have a mountain to climb against Rugby bigwigs Fiji, Canada and South Africa's Springboks.
Stephen arap Soi, the chef de mission, said: "These boys can pull a surprise."
Commonwealth Games 50m butterfly gold medalist Jason Dunford, who was predominantly a freestyle sprinter, is expected to lead Kenyan assault in the pool.
Cycling, boxing, paralympics and weightlifting as well as Commonwealth Games new entrants judo and triathlon are other Kenyan medal prospects.

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