Kenya blips on the medal table, falls below Uganda and India for the first time

Kenyan team match during the opening ceremony of Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. [Photo: Courtesy]

Kenya is famous as the powerhouse of athletics and to be precise long distant races. When it comes to winning the golden medals, the yellow gems; East Africans have battered the world.

But this is not the same scenario at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast. 10,000M races for both men and women have been done and neighbours Uganda have grabbed gold medals leaving Kenyans devastated.

That Samuel Gathimba and Edward Zakayo lifted Kenya with two Bronze medals before Beatrice Chepkoech and Stacy Ndiwa could add Silver medals are events worth the applause.

But there are indications that Kenya may not be heading to the right path especially after missing gold in the races that she has traditionally dominated.

Uganda sits above Kenya by 8 places in position 14 with three medals as Kenya languishes in position 23 despite bagging four. What works in Uganda’s favour are the two gold medals that she has won.

India has risen above expectations with 24 medals where 12 of those are golds. Nonetheless, India has a diversified approach as many of her athletes also battle in other games where Kenya has no participants.

With 3000M steeplechase for women being in the pipeline, Kenya can only wish for the best outcome and that is winning a gold in that race.

Fancy Cherono, Purity Kirui and Celliphine Chespol will fly the Kenyan flag in the steeplechase scheduled mid-day.

Should Kenya bag at least a gold, she will move to position 15 just behind Samoa which has two gold medals. Two gold medals would lift the East Africans to position 13. Kenya needs a gold medal and the sooner it is the better.