Jason Dunford has a responsibility of splashing to fame in the Olympic here. A medal bracket is his main aim.

But in the absence of team captain, David Rudisha, Jason was added another huge role — being the flag bearer during today’s opening ceremony.

“That is a show of trust in me by the team management and I think it is an added task of representing my country,” said Dunford at the Olympic Village.

“That is a humbling feeling for any Olympics athlete to be chosen to carry the flag in front of a global audience. I am looking forward to making my country proud,” he said as his brother David nodded.

“I was fifth at the last Olympics and have won many competitions. Really, I want to finish in the medal bracket,” he said.

Jason is this time going for the 100 metres butterfly while David is going for 100m and 50m freestyle.

Eyeing success

“We hope that Kenya will again be among the most successful nations at these Games,” he said.

Both thanked National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) and the team management for making it possible for them to train in Bristol.

“We have trained very well and we a ready for the competition. Kenyans have been immensely supportive. My social media has been awash with messages of goodwill from Kenyans and I hope to make them proud,” said Jason.

David would be happy to make it to the final.

“If I break my national record, that should be enough to get me to the final,” David told FeverPitch.

Weight problem

Meanwhile, Benson Njangiru Gicharu, Kenya’s only male boxer in London has only one thing to worry.

He came to Europe weighing 56kg, and he must be lighter by four kilograms by the time the Olympics boxing competition begins. Consequently, he has been training hard to avoid disqualification. He has been running, rope skipping, shadow boxing and sparring hard.

He is accompanied by ABA Chairman John Kameta and coach Patrick ‘Mont’ Waweru, a veteran of two past Olympics in Los Angeles (1984) and Seoul (1988).

Gicharu had a bandage plastered behind his leg, but Kameta was quick to clarify that it was a Chinese way of toning the muscles.

“I am in good shape. I got even scared of Oteng Oteng, because there are better boxers here.”

“I was in Cardiff for the build up where we discussed different approaches and style,” said the fly weight boxer, who was born in Murang’a on May 3, 1985.

Gicharu last won bronze for Kenya at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 and hope to improve on it and clinch gold.

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