Kenya's Intent To Dominate Africa Youth Games

Kenya on Wednesday announced a huge contingent of 131 athletes in 17 disciplines to compete in the second Africa Youth Games to be held in Gaborone, Botswana on May 22-31.
National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) Secretary General Francis K. Paul said the big team will target better results as it takes up on giants Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and South Africa who dominated the inaugural games in Rabat Morocco back in 2010.
"The idea is to widen the medal scope for the country competitors. That is why we want to diversify from the track and field and boxing, which are the main areas where majority of Kenyan medals at Africa stage have come from," Paul said in Nairobi.
"Volleyball, hockey, and martial arts alongside swimming will be making a shout at the games keen to clinch a few medals."
Stars expected to make a statement at the games include World junior 3,000m champion Mercy Chebwogen and Africa Youth 800m champion Robert Biwott.
The Africa Youth Games will serve as a qualifier for the Youth Olympics, which will be held in China later in the year. The international multi-sport event is held every four years to complement the current All-Africa Games.
Morocco's Rabat staged the first edition of the African Youth Games in July 2010 and attracted just over 1,000 athletes from 41 countries and regions participating in 16 sport disciplines.
However, Gaborone 2014 will cater for 2,500 young athletes participating in 20 sport disciplines. The Games is for athletes aged between 14-18 years.
Already the International Sport Federations of athletics, basketball and swimming have agreed to use Gaborone 2014 as a qualifying tournament for Nanjing 2014.
Four years ago, Tunisia's athletes won 25 medals (14 gold, nine silver and two bronze) on the last day to emerge as the best country.
This brought Tunisia's medal tally to 36 gold, 11 silver and five bronze. Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria and Algeria were the other countries that did well.
In the track and field events, Tunisia actually ranked first with seven gold and two silver medals, ahead of Morocco (four gold, six silver and 10 bronze) and Egypt (four gold, two silver and two bronze).
Each country has since put in place plans and programs to polish its athletes ahead of the second Africa Youth games. Already, Kenya is looking at ways to widen its medal haul beyond its fortress - the track and field.
In athletics, Kenya and many other countries and regions will use the Eastern Africa Junior Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from April 19-20 as dry run for the continental games.
Kenya will be sending athletes in 200m, 400m, 1,500m, 3,000m steeple chase, 5,000m, high jump, long jump, triple jump, and javelin for both men and women.
Athletics Kenya (AK) vice president David Okeyo said they want to rule the roost at the Africa Youth Games in Gaborone and they will pick a strong team.
"Athletics will always stand out as one of the disciplines that will bring the country more medals. We will pick a strong team. We have many who have already competed at the World Youth Championships," he said.
Fridah Shiroya, the Chief De Mission of the Kenya team to Gaborone said, track and field will have a quota of 30 athletes, badminton (6), basketball (8), boxing (5), cycling (12), golf (4), judo (4), karate (12), netball (12), rowing (1), swimming (8), table tennis (2), taekwondo (6), tennis (4), triathlon (4), volleyball (12) and weightlifting (1).
"The games will be about quality and commitment. We want to put in a strong team," said Shiroya.
However, Shiroya expressed her disappointment with federation that are yet to forward names of probable representatives to Nock for accreditation purposes.
"Some federations officials complain that they have no money to hold trials and training yet they are the ones delaying the budgets to be funded," she said.