Team Kenya set travel dates as facility conundrum bites hard

Team Kenya set travel dates as facility conundrum bites hard

The first batch of Team Kenya for the Commonwealth Games will jet out on March 24 for Australia while the marathoners will be the last to depart on April 8 even as the lack of adequate training facilities bites hard.

At a press briefing on Tuesday at the Nock headquarters along Mombasa Road, Nairobi, Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission (CDM) Barnaba Korir said the team will travel in several batches and will use the national carrier Kenya Airways to Thailand before connecting to Australia.

Korir, however, bemoaned the lack of facilities for the team, especially the track and field athletes since most of the stadia in the country with the tartan track are under construction, a development that may hamper adequate preparations.

Due to the venue quagmire, the boxers will camp in Nakuru, rugby players in Mombasa, while the cycling team will in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county.

National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) Treasure Karis Mwangi (L), Chef de Mission of Kenya’s team to the Commonwealth Games Barnabas Korir (C) and Sports Commissioner Maurice Kamau address the media during the Gold Coast Commonwealth games press briefing at the Nock headquarters in Nairobi on February 20, 2018. Photo/Stafford

” We have a challenge as Nock to determine where our athletes will be staying. Nyayo, Kipchoge Keino, Moi International Stadium — are all under renovations — hence they cannot stay there or use the facilities.

“At Kasarani they are not able to use the main stadia because the inner field is under construction especially for the field athletes. Hence they will have to use the warm-up area.   The hostels at Kasarani are also under renovation and they are not available at the moment. We have sent people to scout for accommodation and by end of this week we shall be able to know where we shall put our athletes,” Korir assured. 

Contrary to the athletes’ travel plan, the Chef de Mission, his deputy, the deputy Sports Commissioner Maina Kamau, and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) Karis Mwangi will be the first to travel to Gold Coast on March 19 to prepare for Team Kenya.

” To ensure that we do not have problems when it’s time for travelling, we want to make sure that we have all the documents that is necessary.We request all the teams that have selected their participants to send their proper documents for the booking of the tickets,”Korir said, adding that, “we want to do everything on time to ensure a smooth travel. We have done what is required and it’s up to KQ to ensure that the tickets are there.”

Korir said that they have done 95% application for accreditations for the team and officials and are just waiting to receive names of Government officials who will accompany them for the Games, pointing out that there will be no room for joyriders.

Korir also urged the Government to release funds quickly so that they can help in preparing the team for the Games. So far, the government has funded boxing, cycling and wrestling federations’ in their qualifiers outside the country.

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Australia team kenya Gold Coast for Commonwealth Games to leave in batches

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