Commonwealth Games a chance to inspire Kenyan sports

Past Commonwealth Games. [Photo: Courtesy]

The Commonwealth Games start today in Gold Coast, Australia. Kenya will be represented in a big way at the Club Games by 138 athletes competing in 14 disciplines. As today’s opening ceremony sets tone to the 21st edition of the games, all eyes will be fixed on our sons and daughters, out to conquer the world in the 12-day competition.

Athletics has the largest contingent in Team Kenya. Other athletes come from the boxing, badminton, bowling, power lifting, squash, table tennis, triathlon and wrestling teams.

It has not been smooth sailing for the Kenyan contingent however, with various challenges besetting the team’s preparations.

But we hope it will not deny the Kenyans a chance to go one step better and bag more medals than they did in their last outing in Glasgow, Scotland four years ago where they won 25 medals.

It is quite disheartening that there were complaints about lack of proper training kits and delay in payment of allowances a few days to the games.

The situation forced President Uhuru Kenyatta’s intervention to get the athletes paid their dues. It is now upon the athletes to do their best and ably represent our country.

While Kenya has won most of its medals in athletics, other disciplines now have the chance to deliver by winning additional medals for the country.

Disciplines like boxing used to win medals easily in different international championships, but the medals have dwindled significantly over time.

Kenya is also expected to do well in sports like table tennis and shooting where minimal investment is required.

It is also quite disappointing that a sport like hockey is missing in action, bearing in mind that in 1974, Kenya was ranked fourth in the world. Something must be done to correct this downward spiral in these disciplines.

Perhaps this is their chance to stand up and be counted. While choosing to punch above their weight and learning to walk in the path of their world-conquering athletics brothers and sisters, the ‘fringe’ sports will make us proud by bagging several gold medals.