As the World Athletics Championships in Budapest draw near, the Kenyan team is gearing up for a fierce battle on the global stage.
The captain of the Kenyan team, Emily Ngii, has called upon her fellow Kenyans to offer their prayers and support as the athletes aim to secure a bountiful harvest of medals from Hungary. Ngii, a seasoned athlete and Commonwealth Games 10,000m racewalk champion, expressed her determination to bring home the top prize. She likened the upcoming championships to a ferocious war, emphasizing that Team Kenya was prepared and eager to compete against other nations for glory.
“We are ready and have prepared well. We are eager to bring the big prize back home and all we ask of Kenyans to pray and support us as we compete in Budapest. This is war…we are going for war with only one mission — to collect medals,” said Ngii.
Ngii’s optimism is rooted in her recent successes, including clinching the African title for the women’s 20km race walk and claiming bronze in the women’s 10,000m race walk at the Commonwealth Games.
This year’s championships mark Ngii’s second appearance at the global event. In the previous edition held in Oregon, United States, she finished 30th in the women’s 20km walking race. Despite this setback, Ngii’s 2022 was marked by remarkable achievements, and she enters the Budapest event with an unbeaten streak in 2023.
Another Kenyan athlete looking to shine in Hungary is Julius Yego, the 2016 Olympics javelin silver medalist. Yego is set to make his sixth appearance at the World Championships and is optimistic about Kenya’s chances of topping the medal standings, similar to their success in Beijing in 2015.
“The team is ready. We are looking forward to reclaiming the title we won in 2015. I was part of that team. Rest assured, this team has trained well and everybody is looking forward to doing their best… I am back and see you in Budapest,” said Julius Yego.
Yego’s enthusiasm is shared by the rest of the Kenyan team, which consists of 56 athletes, including 32 men and 24 women.
The team recently met with Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who offered his blessings and encouragement, emphasizing their role as ambassadors for Kenya on the global stage.To bolster the athletes’ performance, the Kenyan government has revised the reward scheme, offering increased allowances to ensure their comfort during both local preparation and international competition.
“I am very happy that the team we are sending out is a mix of incredible experience and youth,” said Ministry of Sports CS Abu Namwmba. “The allowances have been revised significantly. We want our athletes to be comfortable both locally when they are preparing to represent us and out there internationally when they are competing,” he added
As the athletes make their final preparations, Ngii’s story serves as an inspiration to many. She encourages young students, especially girls, to embrace sports as a means of character development and personal growth.
Meanwhile, the excitement surrounding the upcoming championships in Budapest continues to grow. With over 300,000 tickets already sold as of Thursday 10th August 2023, the event is set to be the largest sporting gathering in Hungary’s history. Dávid Székely, the director of television channel M4 Sport, assures fans that they will be able to witness all the important moments of the championships live and free of charge on television and online platforms.
The championships promise a unique experience for both athletes and spectators alike. Unveiled medals reflect the host country’s identity, featuring Budapest’s recognizable landmarks. Organisers are prepared to capture the thrilling moments of the event, with M4 Sport’s own cameras following Hungarian athletes closely. As the countdown to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest continues, Kenyan athletes remain focused on their mission to capture medals and make their nation proud.
With a blend of experienced champions and promising newcomers, Team Kenya is ready to embrace the challenge and leave a mark on the global stage. The championships in Budapest are expected to showcase world-class athletic prowess and serve as a testament to the power of determination and hard work in the world of sports.