Paul Tergat  on Wed Feb 17, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) through their sponsors East African Breweries Limited have held a gala to appreciate Team Kenya to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Speaker after speaker roundly applauded the Kenyan Olympians for their indomitable spirit by representing the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

NOCK announced they will stage another gala in Eldoret for all the 87 Olympians.

This is what some of the speakers said during the gala night at Carnivore today Friday.

Collins Injera- Kenya 7s Shujaa

Kenyans Collins Injera (L) evades a tackle during a HSBC Paris Sevens Series rugby match between Kenya and New Zealand at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris on May 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO

On behalf of the athletes, I thank the Ministry of Sports, NOC-K, sponsors, it was a difficult time preparing for the Olympics owing to the COVID-19, but everything was made possible from the early training camp, where we were given all the kits and we appreciate a lot.

Today’s session especially about investment was an eye-opener especially to athletes who are thinking of retiring like myself, I this has helped us transits smoothly.

Mercy Moim - Malkia Strikers

Mercy Moim [photo courtesy]

I thank the sponsors, the government for sponsoring us up to the Olympics, I thank the NOC-K office for giving us what we wanted, and to compete at the Olympics, We have never had such an ample preparation and we don’t take it for granted.

On behalf of the ladies who competed at the Olympics, we are grateful that we made it thank the ladies by good competition, we were more than men and we did well and I challenge them to continue with the same momentum.

Waithaka Kioni - Chef de Mission

Chairman Kenya Volleyball Federation Waithaka Kioni in Nairobi during NOCK media briefing towards the Tokyo 2020 summer Olympics preparations. Oct 4, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

 I thank the sponsor, the federations for preparing athletes, thank you all, I thank the government for the support they have given us

Paul Tergat - President NOCK

Olympics Kenya President Paul Tergat during the ANOCA Zone V elections in Entebbe, Kampala, on May 1, 2021. [Standard Sports]

I appreciate everyone especially our athletes for making this possible. From when the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were postponed, these athletes have braved a difficult time owing to the Covid 19, to train well during preparations and up to the competition in Tokyo.

 From the government, we were at the edge and sometimes we didn’t know we could have these games but in the end, we had them, and ended well. As I was leading this team I was crossing fingers that the Covid test they were subjected to every day no one from team Kenya tested positive. I thank the athletes fit the discipline they displayed at the Olympics.

We are here to celebrate the achievements of our athletes, against over 200 counties globally, we were able to match victories and we walked tall in Africa.