Pope Francis visit in Kenya -slide show

Edward Gatuso-Ball juggler

Mercy Njoki-Mother to many street boys in Nairobi

Jaro Soja Gor Mahia die hard fan sining Gor Mahia anthem

President Uhuru rewards Kenya Athletes for A well Done Job

Kenya Athletes at state breakfast

President Uhuru Kenyatta has promised to reward Kenyan athletes who did the country proud in world championship in Beijing, Africa games in Congo Brazzaville and World Youth Championship in Colombia.

The president made the promise when he invited some of the athletes and officials for breakfast at State House in Nairobi on Saturday, 03 October 2015.

All gold medallists in the three athletic teams that have represented our nation in continental and international championships will be given a rewarded of K Sh 1 million as token, silver medallists will get K Sh 500,000 and bronze winners will get K Sh 250,000 each,” said the President.

President Uhuru admiring a medal from a member of Kenya Youth team

Kenyan athletes emerged victorious in different events with notable once like Julius Yego in Javelin and Nicholas Bett in 400m hurdles who both won gold medals, this was the first ever time for Kenya to win medals in those

President Uhuru also promised a team reward of K Sh. 5 Million for all three teams to encourage teamwork among the athletes and officials.

President also ordered the immediate payment of all arrears owed to Kenyan athletes by the government since 2013 totalling K Sh 60 million.

“I want the athletes and their officials to come back to my office on Thursday next week, October 8, 2015 and tell me each athlete and official have received his/her dues”|

President Uhuru shakes hand with David Rudisha, and (L-R), Bett. Kiprop and Kemboi

Kenyan athletes made history by leading in the table standing at the 15th IAAF world championship, Beijing that ended on August 30, 2015 by winning six gold medals, four silver medals, three bronze medals.

The Kenyan Youths finished second behind USA with a total of 13 medals, five gold medals, four silver medals and four bronze medals.

Photos from P S C U

Eliud Kipchoge wins Berlin Marathon with Malfunction shoe

Eliud Kipchoge

Eliud Kipchoge is one guy who will make me get glued into watching Tv to see him doing what he loves doing ,Marathon running. 

Eliud has being a person who likes pushing all the way but few times i saw him losing 5000m races at the last finales meters to Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele and El Guerrouj with a laughing smile as he knows he had given all he can.

Bekele has dined Eliud Kipchoge a win  twice, 2006 in door world championship in Moscow and 2008 summer Olympics in Beijng, while his country man Bernard Lagat dined him at world championship 2007 in Osaka, Japan, but he was world champion in 2003 when he was only 18 years old.

His debut in marathon was in 2013, hamburg Marathon which he won in time of 2:05.30. He has taken place in five other marathon races which he won four of the and finished at second place in 2013 Berlin Marathon behind his countryman Wilson Kipsang who also set a world record of 2:03.23.

The shoe inner sole is visible

His latest win was in Berlin Marathon where not only won but set his personal best of 2:04.00, this was short of what alto of people expected of him shattering the world record which his country men Emmanuel Mutai and Geoffrey Mutai had said was at watch.

their

Eliud blamed malfuntional of his Nike shoes, he said he had problem with his shoes inner sole from the first kilometre, the sole could be seen slowly sliding out, but with all the mishaps, Kipchoge went ahead and won in a personal best, maybe if the shoes issues never raised, a new world record was around the corner.

The 2:04.00 he run was his best ever having slashed five seconds again done in Berlin, its also the ninth best performance on a record valid course.

First Kenyan to race in FIA World Rally-Tejas Hirani

Kenya is internationally known for churning out the world’s finest track athletes but this weekend the country’s flag will be flown in entirely new territory, motor racing.
17 year-old Tejas Hirani who still has no Kenya driving lincese due to his age, will this weekend become the first Kenyan driver to race in the FIA world Rally cross RX Lite Championship in Barcelona, Spain.
The famous Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is home to both the Spanish F1 and MotoGP races, will host the inaugural Barcelona RX.
Hirani who started racing at 9 years has won 48 motor-racing championships in Kenya and internationally and his dream and mission has always been to “to become a world champion”.
The Nairobi-born sportsman’s accolades include six-time Kenyan champion, the first Kenyan to win an international championship, which he won in Dubai at the Formula Gulf.
The Gulf Championship is Hirani’s biggest win and the sportsman who names Alonso and Sebastian Loeb as his favorite race drivers says his plan is to compete in as many races and series as possible. Here he tell of his beast machine.

Kivuva sounds a warning to others in 800m -Brazzaville

Jackson Kivuva

Jackson Kivuva is a man with burning spirit, spirit to prove that he still a great Kenyan runner in 800m He is a silver medallist from the world junior championship 2006, behind compatriot David Rudisha The same year he won 800 meters gold at the Africa Zone 5 Junior Championships. He finished fourth at the Kenyan trial for the 2008 Olympics, missing the ticket to Beijing.

Same thing happened during Kenya trials for world championship 2015 where he finished at fourth place and again failed to secure a ticket to Beijing.

This is how he found himself in Kenyan team that will try and collect maximum medals in Congo Brazzaville.

Kivuva has just thing in his mind, to do what he wanted to do in world championship in Beijing if he had qualified, win and bring that gold home. The race will be very tactical as another great 800m runner from Botswana, Nigel Amos will be trying to forget what happened in just concluded Beijing championship when it mattered most by losing to one man he thought was under his control, Kenyan David Rudisha who in not participating in the African Games.

With Kitum, am seeing a tactical race based on calculation to win, Amos has finale kicks and it will be how Kitum runs that will help Kivuva to nail the finale slot, otherwise Amos may run with this Gold.

Purity Cherotich bags Bronze in 3000m steeplechase in Brazzaville

Purity Cherotich

Purity Cherotich is another upcoming Kenya in women 3000m steeplechase, she just won a bronze in the on going African Games in Congo Brazzaville . This is after just after landing at Maya Maya-International airport JUST one hour before the race started.
The commonwealth gold winner showed the passion she has after she give the Ethiopians a tough time all the way to the finish line, She cloaked 9:52.54 to snatch the bronze ,while the experienced Assefa Sofia won gold in time of 9:51.30 followed by another Ethiopian Ayalew Hiwot in time of 9:51.94.
Cherotich had travelled to Belgium for the Diamond League meet and she hoped to fly direct to Brazzaville only to be told that her documents were not in Congo, and she had to travel to Nairobi to collect, thus denying her enough time to train in Brazzaville and accustom herself with the climate, all the same she did well and won bronze.

Bonface Mweresa

In another promising things to come, Kenya Bonface Mweresa snatched a rare silver in men's 400m. Mweresa run a tactical race to snatch the second position in time of 45:01.0 behind Botswana star Isaac Mkwala who won in time of 44:35 while his country man Nkobolo Onkabetse took bronze in time of 45.50.
Kenya is expecting more good results in 800m where all her three athletes booked finales, Kenya's Timothy Kitum finished second in heat one in time of 1:50.07 ,the winner was the sensational Botswana Nijel Amos who did it in time of 1;50.07

Kenya women valley ball wins Gold medal in Africa Games -Congo Brazaville

Kenya once more proved their consistency and won the gold medal for the Women's All Africa Games after they cruised past Cameroon 3-1 (15-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-19) in the final of Women's competition of All Africa Games at Henry Elende Hall in Brazzaville, Congo on Monday.

Kenya who is 2015 African Nations champions played this tournament with the second team, as the first team was involved in the FIVB World Cup, but they could remain as African queens after they extracted all the power to win the final. Egypt claimed the Bronze medals after they beat Seychelles 3-0 (25-17, 25-6, 25-15) in the third place match.

Kenya overcame the shaky start and rebounded from a set behind to win a thrilling encounter against Cameroon (3-1 )15-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-19.    

Cameroon started the match as the better side using the spikes of Nana Tchoudjang and Theorine Aboa and succeeded to lead steadily until they won the first set 25-15. The second set showed completely different picture as the Kenyans came back aggressively with their better reception and digging hard and had a wide lead 8-3 and 16-7, before they deployed their solid block to stop Cameroon until they won the set 25-14 to draw 1-1.

The Kenyan team played highly motivated in the third set as they maintained their lead throughout the remaining sets with the quick attacks led by Edith Mukuvilani and Joan Chelegat.

Cameroon coach started to make substitutions which were reflected negatively to the team as Kenya continued to win the set 25-15 and lead 2-1. It was easier for the Kenyan through their blockers to continue leading in the 4th set till they won 25-19 and the match 3-1.

This shows deep talents in Kenya as their first team was doing national duties yet a second team was able to win by beating best teams in Africa.

Kenyan Eunice Sum puts behind a Championshp disappointment to win Diamond League in Zurich

Eunice Sum

Kenyan Eunice Sum put behind the disappointment Beijing world championship where she finished third in the finale's of 800m by winning in the  Diamond League race in Zurich on Thursday, September 3, 2015.

Sum, who lost her title run a wonderful race and  crossed the finish line to her 12th league win in one minute 59.14 seconds.

UK's Lynsey Sharp came home second in time of 1:59.37, while German Fabienne Kohlmann came third (1:59.68). Amazing the new world champion Arzamasova from Belarus  finished a disappointing fifth in time of 2:00.69.

Eunice Sum got about US $40000 reward for dominating the Diamond League circuit all year long also go an additional US 8000  for the victory.

The number one Price also comes with a spectacular Diamond Trophy created by Beyer, said to be one of the oldest and most respected jewellers in the world.

The 2013 world champion, who struggled to qualify to the finals, revealed that she had cramps that slowed her down and she could not kick her speed while as it was paining.

Kenya Deputy President Welcomes Home the World Beaters

Kenya Deputy President William Samoei Ruto was at the JKIA on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 to welcome Team Kenyan from Beijing China after a successful 15th edition of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) world championship.

The DP hailed the athletes for their over expectation performance in Beijing: “you have made Kenya name to stand out from the others, you have made history in the whole world. Kenya is magical, Kenya is a country of tremendous opportunities.We have always done well but this is exceptional,
Asanteni sana"
Julius Yego made history for Kenya and Africa as whole when he clinched the gold medal in the Javelin category.He has ushered in a new era with the third longest throw ever of 92.72 metres to become the first Kenyan to win javelin gold at the World Championships, it was also the first ever medal for Kenya in field events.

Another big win was Nicholas Bett who also made history winning in world championship by winning the shortest ever race won by a Kenyan by clocking 47.79 seconds to grab gold medal in the 400 meters hurdles.
 The president is expected to host the athletes at State House on Thursday, September 3, 2015.

Kenya Deputy President maintaing the momwntum from Beijing of winning by running towards the arrival of Team Kenya

Hassan Wario, the cabinet secretary of sports was also at JKIA running to be the first person to usher in the Kenyan team .

DP William Ruto with Julius Yego gold medal winner in Javelin

 

 

Kenya had 16 medals followed by Jamaica with 12 and USA 18. The Kenyan gold medal winners are :  Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot – 10,000 Metres Ezekiel Kemboi – 3000 Metres Steeplechase Nicholas Bett – 400 Metres Hurdles David Lekuta Rudisha – 800 Metres Julius Yego – Javelin Throw Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi – 3000 Metres Steeplechase and Asbel Kiprop 1,500 meters.

DP and CS Wario admirinf gold medal won by Bett in 400m

All hail the champ: Ruto on on one with Asbel Kiprop. Bronze medalists are: Paul Kipngetich Tanui – 10,000 Metres, Brimin Kiprop Kipruto – 3000 Metres Steeplechase, Eunice Jepkoech Sum – 800 Metres.

Senator Mike Sonko and Kipchumba Murkomen were also present to welcome the IAAF 2015 winners. 

 

 

Pictures courtesy of DPPS.

Kenya in Second Position in current IAAF Placing Order After US

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has now placed Kenya at the second overall position after United States in the just concluded 15th World Athletics Championship held in Beijing, China. This does not mean Kenya is number two in the just concluded world championship in Beijing, no this is the overall standing due to performance and not o winning formula, remembers Kenya won 7 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals.

In that placing method IAAF gave US 214 points, Kenya 173 points and Jamaica 132 points in the placing table. IAAF placing table works on a formula that looks at factors beyond top positions and considers the number of athletes who finished in the other slots like number 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and such. Therefore, since the US had more athletes in different disciplines than Kenya and other country, which means those countries, did not participate or even qualify, it gained more points in the championship placing order.

Other countries in the top ten placing table are Germany, Great Britain and North Ireland, China, Ethiopia, Poland, Canada and Russia. Kenya and Ethiopia are the only African countries in the table.

In total, 206 countries (or more accurately, IAAF members) participated with a total of 1,933 athletes. The biggest delegation was the one from the USA with 158 athletes while Kenya had 52 athletes and Jamaica had 53. Most of countries had less than 10 athletes. The following is numbers of athletes from countries with more than 10 athletes and more.Kenya had only one athlete in field events, Julius Yego and he won Javelin gold medal, this is the area that US and developed countries harvest more medal.

Australia (45)

 Bahamas (25)

 Belarus (18)

 Belgium (20)

 Brazil (58)

 Bulgaria (11)

 Canada (47)

 China (83)

 Colombia (13)

 Cuba (35)

 Czech Republic (25)

 Ethiopia (41)

 Finland (17)

 France (44)

 Germany (69)

 Great Britain (64)

 Greece (10)

 Hungary (12)

 India (18)

 Ireland (16)

 Italy (33)

 Jamaica (53)

 Japan (53)

 Kazakhstan (10)

 Kenya (52)

 Latvia (10)

 Lithuania (11)

 Morocco (22)

 Netherlands (23)

 New Zealand (14)

 Poland (50)

 Russia (69)

 South Africa (35)

 Spain (44)

 Trinidad and Tobago (21)

 United States (158)