NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5 – Four-time National Sevens Circuit champions Mwamba RFC have vowed to bounce back to vie for the Main Cup title next weekend as they prepare for their home tournament, the Kabeberi Sevens at the RFUEA Grounds.

Kulabu did not perform as per expectation during the opening leg of the circuit last weekend at the Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa, walking home with the Challenge Trophy after a 12-10 win over KCB in the final.

“It is very motivating for us to head to our home tournament with this trophy and we know we can get better. This week in training, energy will be up. We will have one or two changes in the team to strengthen. We are also hoping the injuries we picked are not bad because we want to build on as a unit from here,” head coach Kevin Wambua told Capital Sport.

The side has to deal with injuries picked by Kevin Atandi and skipper Michael Agevi who missed the second day at Driftwood with Wambua saying it was a precautionary measure.

They lost all their matches in the opening day of the tournament and Wambua has blamed this on pre-tournament jitters as well as an attitude issue, but he says they have learnt their lesson and will be stronger heading to Kabeberi.

“We will wait to see how the players react in training. For me, I don’t play names, I play form. It is all about who steps up better. We will need to improve on game understanding because the new rules especially on the breakdown messed us up,” added the coach.

-KCB fail to sparkle-

Meanwhile, KCB who also failed to sparkle in Mombasa picking a paltry seven points after finishing 10th will be looking to bounce back in Nairobi, hoping they can reciprocate their 15s form into the shorter version of the game.

Head coach Daniel Mwanja blamed their performance on a poor preparatory period, saying the disruption caused by the death of their player James Kilonzo in July took them off balance.

“We were not sharp enough because our preparations weren’t the best because of our bereavement. After losing Kilonzo, the boys’ minds were not settled. They didn’t come here to lose but it has been a steep learning curve. We are in an unfamiliar situation, but we will only get better,” Mwanja said.

Though Mwanja was more philosophical in his approach to the players after their below par performance, overall coach Curtis Olago and Sevens assistant coach Mike Shamiah were not diplomatic as both gave the players a thorough hairdryer treatment.

Mwanja says they will ‘definitely make changes’ for Kabeberi as they look to return the bankers to the top of the ladder. Among the improvements he wants are on defense and racking.

-Oilers impress-

Other than the unexpected bad performances from the big guns, there were surprise packages in the name of Menengai Oilers and Mean machine who reached the Main Cup semis with Oilers winning the underdogs battle 21-0 in the play off.

Oilers, formed just under two years ago beat Mwamba 14-0 and Kisii 17-0 to progress to the Main Cup quarters where they shocked Impala with two unconverted tries.

Head coach Gibson Weru, a former Nakuru RFC and Kenya Sevens star said he was more than pleased with the performance of the team which sets them as top seeds for Pool C heading to Kabeberi.

“I am hugely happy with the performance from the boys. They have taken confidence from the tournament; a second tier team going all the way to the semis is no mean feat. It’s something we have worked towards.”

“We are on our second year and my target this season was to finish in the top six. It’s a young side and it takes time to build the team in terms of character and intelligence,” Weru added.

Weru now hopes to see the side improve further in Nairobi, with the Nakuru based youngsters aiming to work on their mental preparedness after their season opening performance.

“The only thing that can deter us from winning a tournament is the mental aspect of it so we working toward it and every game is a learning experience. We take the lessons and hopefully we improve in Kabeberi,” Weru noted.

The coach has urged his high performing players not to put their feet off the ground, expressing caution that teams will come harder at them having seen how they play and taken note.

Machine who had a disastrous 15s spell where they were relegated after close to six decades also made a statement of intent after sneaking in to the Main Cup quarters ahead of KCB hope as well to keep their form running heading into Kabeberi.

Head coach Ramsfield Matekwa praised his team for their performance, saying they had shown great spirits in all their games.

The post Mwamba eye stronger redemption at Kabeberi appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5- Driftwood Sevens silver medalists Nakuru RFC are placed in a tough pool for the second stop of this season’s National Sevens Circuit, Kabeberi Sevens, which will be held this weekend at the RFUEA Ground on Ngong’ Road.

Wanyore, top seeds for Group B by virtue of reaching the final will square out with last year’s second overall best Kenya Harlequins who will be playing on their home ground as well as 15s powerhouse KCB and Kisii who finished 14^th in Mombasa.

Top seeds Homeboyz who have already amassed 22 points after winning in Mombasa over the weekend will headline Pool A where they will battle tournament hosts Mwamba RFC who will be celebrating their 40^th anniversary.

They will also square out with invited side Daystar Falcons as well as Nondies.

Driftwood surprise package Menengai Oilers will headline Pool C where they have been grouped with reigning Kabeberi champions Impala RFC Kenyatta University’s Blakblad who were 11^th in Mombasa as well as Catholic Monks.

University of Nairobi’s Mean machine headline Pool D and will vie for a Main Cup quarters slot with Driftwood plate winners Kabras Sugar, Strathmore Leos and the promoted Makueni RFC.

Kabeberi Sevens Pools

Pool A: Homeboyz, Nondescripts, Mwamba, Daystar Falcons

Pool B: Nakuru, Kenya Harlequins, KCB, Kisii

Pool C: Menengai Oilers, Impala Saracens, BlakBlad, Catholic Monks

Pool D: Mean Machine, Kabras Sugar, Strathmore Leos, Makueni

The post Quins, Nakuru in pool of death for Kabeberi appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5- The much awaited National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) elections will be held on September 29, the Olympic body announced during an Extraordinary General assembly meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting resolved that those who had not initially expressed interest for elective posts by filling the nomination forms before the elections were called off in May, will be allowed to vie.

The development paves way for incumbent chairman Kipchoge Keino to seek re-election, running against five-time World Cross Country champion Paul Tergat who stood unopposed previously after the athletics legend failed to seek for nomination forms.

Kipchoge has confirmed that he will be seeking re-election against Tergat who is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

The NOCK executive defended the decision of fresh nominations which was against the IOC’s directive that elections be conducted from where it had reached before the polls were stopped by the Kenya Taekwondo Association through a court order after being left out of the process.

The executive said they used the NOCK constitution by invoking Article 76.6 which mandates it’s General Assembly to address electoral matters, rules and regulations.

The meeting resolved that federations with court cases would not be allowed to participate in the electoral process and were urged to fastrack them in good time before the elections day.

The NOCK executive is expected to set up a meeting with the Centre for Multi-Party Democracy (CMD), the overseers of the election so as to set up rules and regulations for the polls.

Twenty federations and three NOCK executive officials will participate in the polls. The three NOCK executive officials to vote are the IOC member, athletes and women’s representatives.

The federations to engage in the poll include Athletics Kenya (AK), Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF), Kenya Wrestling Federation (KWF), Kenya Taekwondo Association (KTA), Kenya Badminton Federation (KBF), Kenya Amateur Handball Association(KAHA), Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF), Kenya Shooting and Rifles Association (KSRA) Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF).

Others are Tennis Kenya (TK), Kenya Judo Association (KJA), Kenya Wrestling Federation (KWF), Kenya Golf Union (KGU), Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA), Kenya Hockey Union (KHU), Kenya Amateur Cycling Association (KACA) and  Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK).

The three NOCK executives that will be allowed to vote are Tergat (IOC member), Purvi Rawal (Women’s Representative) and former marathon world record holder Tegla Loroupe (Athletes representative).

The post NOCK elections set for September 29 appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 5- The national women Under-23 volleyball team departs for Slovenia on Friday morning ahead of their maiden bow at the FIVB World Championship with the tournament serving off on Sunday in the capital city, Ljubljana.

Head coach Catherine Mabwi says the team has shaped up well for the showpiece especially as they head to the sunset days of a productive seven-day residential training camp in Nairobi.

Mabwi is conservative in her approach to the championship, pointing out her primary target will be to get off the groups, a feat she will view as an achievement on their debut.

“I think the girls are ready for the championship looking at how we have trained. For us, we are not going there to win the title. We have to be realistic. Our focus is performing well in our pool and look at getting to the next round,” the coach noted.

The same sentiments are shared by Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) vice chair Martin Makokha who has warned against placing too much expectation on the shoulders of the young girls.

“We expect that the team will be able to put in a good account of themselves. We do not want to put too much pressure on them expecting that they will win because it’s the first time they will be participating in the event,’’ Makokha said.

The team has engaged in three friendly matches in the duration of their training at Kasarani, playing against top senior clubs Kenya Pipeline, KCB and Nairobi Water.

The tactician notes the girls have shown remarkable improvement playing against established players and she notes the experience picked up will be vital as they land in the Scandinavian country, seeking to fly the country’s flag high.

Mabwi has named a strong squad of 12 which includes left attacker Yvonne Wavinya, middle blocker Ann Lowem, Yvonne Sinaida and Celestine Nyongesa, all who were part of the senior Malkia Strikers team during last month’s Africa Zone Five Championship in Nairobi.

She is confident the experience picked up by the players having trained with the seniors will come in handy.

A total of 38 matches will be played over a period of eight days in the Slovenian capital with 12 teams set to participate, Kenya and Egypt representing Africa.

Kenya are placed in Group B alongside powerhouses Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, Japan and Turkey while Egypt are in Pool A with Argentina, China, Dominican Republic, hosts Slovania and Thailand.

The junior Malkia Strikers begin their campaign on Sunday against Brazil before playing Bulgaria on Monday and Turkey on Tuesday. They will wind up their group phase games on Thursday and Friday against Japan and Cuba respectively.

Malkia Strikers U23 Squad to Slovenia

Yvonne Wavinya, Anne Lowem,Veronica Tanui, Faith Imodia, Edinah Mwombe, Doreen Marani, Joan Ngeywo, Yvonne Sinaida, Shyrine Jepkemboi(captain), Beldine Akinyi, Carolyne Sirengo, Celestine Nyongesa.

The post Malkia Strikers U23 ready for World Cup debut appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6- Sergio Ramos, Javier Mascherano, Diego Godin and former Arsenal center-back Gabriel Paulista are some of the world class defenders Harambee Stars forward Michael Olunga will be tussling with for the next one season as he begins life with new club Girona.

Olunga is expected to make his competitive debut for the Blanquivermell on Sunday when they travel away to San Mames to take on Athletic Bilbao in their third La Liga match of the season.

“It has been my dream to play in the La Liga and it had been my dream since I arrived in Europe that in three years time I would be rubbing shoulders with some of the best players in the world and here I have the opportunity. It is a great feeling to be honest,” Olunga said just after arriving at the club.

“I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey and in this new challenge, I will not disappoint,” Olunga, who joined the club on loan from Chinese Super League side Ghuizhou Zhicheng added.

Olunga made a dream start to life in the Catalonia-based club, coming off the bench to hit a brace as they whitewashed CF Ripoll 8-0 in a friendly match on Monday night and he now hopes he can replicate that same form in the league.

“It was a great opportunity to start life at the club and now I believe I have my work cut out. Scoring a brace just made it sweeter. The biggest challenge now is to replicate that form in the league and my dream is to become the first Kenyan to score in La Liga,” Olunga added.

The former Gor Mahia, Tusker and Thika United striker becomes only the second Kenyan to play in Spain with MacDonald Mariga having spent a brief loan spell at Real Sociedad in the 2011/2012 season, playing 14 matches.

Olunga dreams of bettering that feat and making a mark with the club which unsuccessfully tried to sign him in 2015 before he left for China where he signed for Guizhou Zhicheng.

“It is my dream to make a huge mark here. This is a bigger platform with a bigger opportunity and I really pray I achieve it,” added the forward.

A proven goal scorer, Olunga has hit 14 goals in 27 appearances for the national team while he scored 13 in 28 games in all competition for his first club abroad, Djugardens IF in the Swedish top tier.

He didn’t have a smoother time in China with Zhicheng where he only scored two goals in nine games and had to be loaned out after the club exceeded their quota of foreign players and he had to be the sacrificial lamb.

Girona announced during the player’s unveiling over the weekend they badly wanted to sign him from Djugardens before he left for China since he perfectly fitted the description of the striker they are looking for.

The post Olunga ready to mix it with La Liga big boys appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6- After weeks of uncertainty, Vihiga Governor Wilbur Otichilo has assured his commitment to continue the sponsorship for National Super League (NSL) leaders Vihiga United that was initiated by his predecessor Moses Akaranga.

Speaking to Capital Sport, Vihiga United assistant coach Francis Xavier disclosed that the new county boss pledged to throw his support behind the team after having a succesfull meeting on Wednesday last week.

“We can now focus on the game because we just got a backing from the new Governor who was elected in August. The Governor promised to continue sponsoring the team even in a bigger way. With this, I see things like improved remuneration which I think is a major motivation. For now we are looking on how we can continue our good run and possible promotion to the Kenyan Primer League (KPL) next season,’’ Xavier revealed.

Vihiga are at the summit of the NSL table with 50 points having played 22 games and are touted to be favorites to win the second tier league and earn promotion to KPL, an inspiration to Xavier who says they are not leaving anything to chance.

The assistant coach has urged his charged to remain focused on the remaining NSL games but admitted they have started scouting on players to add to the squad.

“The race is tight but we have our mind fixed on the NSL for now and secure a promotion but definitely we will have to improve our squad because when you go up it gets tough and we might be looking here and there to see how we will strengthen the squad by bringing two or three players on board,” the former AFC Leopards Team Manager said.

Vihiga are scheduled to take on 12th placed Modern Coast away at the Mbaraki Sports Club on Wednesday afternoon as they edge closer to promotion.

The club came close to play in the KPL this season despite finishing sixth last year after Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa ‘promoted’ them alongside KCB FC after Muhoroni Youth and Sofapaka failed to comply with the club licensing.

However, Muhoroni and Sofapaka were reinstated back to the KPL by the Sports Dispute Tribunal ending Vihiga’s dream that season.

The post Otichilo assures Vihiga United commitment   appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) chairman Kipchoge Keino said Wednesday he will not stand for re-election during the General Assembly in Nairobi on September 29.

The 77-year-old double Olympic gold medallist has been at the helm of NOCK since 1999 when he took over from Charles Mukora, who resigned following the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics bribery scandal.

“I believe it is the right time to hand over the baton to someone else. I have served four terms and that’s enough,” Keino, whose last term in office has ended in acrimony after four of his top officials were arrested and charged in court with stealing team uniforms and mismanaging the Kenyan athletes at the Rio Olympics in August, said.

Up until now Keino had insisted he would run for another term at the helm.

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended funding for sport in Kenya earlier this year after NOCK failed to hold their elections on May 5.

“We need to get new office bearers to take the sport forward. We have a very short time between now and April to prepare our national teams for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia,” Keino said.

Two-time silver medallist and former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat is so far the only candidate seeking to replace Keino in the September 29 vote.

The post Keino to step down as NOCK chairman appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – The national women’s sevens team will shift to a residential training camp in Mombasa for acclimatization ahead of the Rugby Afrique World Cup qualifiers to be held in Tunisia from September 16.

Head coach Kevin Wambua says they will be looking to firm up a few technical areas of their play with the focus fixed on earning a slot to next year’s Rugby World Cup.

“Heading to Tunisia, our minimum target is to win the African Cup and that definitely gives us a ticket to the World Cup. That is what we are aiming at. We are in a favorable group and I think it is one we can get out of. No offense to any team there but I think we are strong,” Wambua told Capital Sport.

“We have been in non-residential training camp for 10 weeks and now we go to residential training in Mombasa to acclimatize, firm up a few of our technical areas and bond as a team before heading out to Tunisia next week,” he added.

Kenya has been seeded second for the qualifiers and headline Pool B, battling out with Zimbabwe, Senegal and Madagascar. Favorites South Africa are the top seeds for the tournament and will lead Pool A, competing with Uganda, Tunisia and Morocco.

The winner of the tournament will represent Africa at the World Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco in July while the losing finalist will have a qualification opportunity for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold, Coast, Australia.

Wambua is confident that they can handle the competition that will be posed by South Africa, noting they have improved vastly since their last meeting in 2016 which ended in a five-point loss for the Kenyans.

“We are not the same place where we were last season and looking at how the girls have worked in training, we have made some good strides in improving. We just need to work a bit on our breakdowns and line of defense and we will be good to go,” the coach further said.

He is expected to name his final travelling party after the Mombasa camp which closes on Sunday and the tactician has promised a strong squad, with a fine blend of youth and experience.

“Expect to see new faces because there are young players who have worked hard and put their hands up for selection. They have stepped up their game and we will give everyone a chance basing on how they have performed in training,” Wambua noted.

Kenya Lionesses team for Mombasa

Catherine Abilla, Celestine Masinde, Camila Cynthia, Doreen Remour, Diana Awino, Grace Odhiambo, Janet Okello, Janet Owino, Judith Auma, Linet Moraa, Philadelphia Olando, Rachael Mbogo, Sophie Ayieta, Sinaida Aura, Stacy Awuor, Sheila Chajira.

The post Lionesses to camp in Mombasa ahead of World Cup qualifiers appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Dafabet has taken a bold step towards increasing the physical retail presence by opening 10 more shops across Kenya.

The betting shops are located in Accra Road, Umoja Market, River Road, Kayole, Kawangware and Kitengela, all in Nairobi in addition to their flagship shop at Zimmerman.

Other outlets are in Naivasha, Eldoret Town, Eldoret Langas and Kakamega.

Dafabet shops will act as a one stop shop from where one will be able to register, deposit over the counter, place bets and withdraw over the counter at no extra costs.

Each shop is hiring a minimum of three staff in a move Dafabet said is committing to its pledge to create jobs for the Kenyan youth.

“Our commitment to create employment and opportunities for the Kenyan people is still as strong as it was from day one. The shops will act as on-ground customer service so that we can learn about the customer wants and needs hence improve as per the customers’ expectations,” said Business Development Manager, Bavon Nyamweya.

Dafabet said they are targeting to open over 60 shops by the end of the year.

The post Dafabet opens 10 new sports outlets across Kenya appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – The KCB women’s volleyball team head coach Vernon Khayinga believes his side can win all its two league matches against Nairobi Waters and Bungoma County.

The Bankers will this weekend be under the leadership of David Kinga when they travel to Wote, Makueni County for their second leg tie against league sides Nairobi Waters and Bungoma County.

Khayinga, who will miss the match since he is on international duty deputizing the national U23 women’s coach Catherine Mabwi in Slovenia, believes his side can perform well under Kinga.

“The season for team KCB has been good. Today we have had two friendly matches one with the U23 and Kenya Prisons. The team has played well and we have to win all the remaining matches,’’ Khayinga said.

KCB has been in intense training especially on blocks, reception, attacks and settings.

Khayinga says the team has learnt vital lessons from the three games and despite missing their instrumental player Doreen Marani who is with the national team, the coach is confident of positive results.

The Bankers meanwhile will be relying on Milgren Lutuvula and PhoscaKasisi when they head to Makueni for the next Kenya Volleyball Federation outing. The squad will play two league matches as well as the Makueni tournament.

‘’We have learned vital lessons from the three friendly games.  For my players I think they are not used to this15 score format but I think they can do better. This format demands a lot of concentration from the players when they get to understand it more it will be great for me and for the team,” Khayinga added.

The coach see’s the friendlies as a perfect preparation for the busy schedule of the club as they seek to perform well in this seasons play offs.

“If you can see we have very many attachments within a very short time this season. We had to prepare for the fitness of our players. These friendlies have provided that and I think we will have to sit down and decide who to field.”

The post KCB women’s volleyball aim playoffs win appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7- The government through the Ministry of Sports remains confident that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will not strip the country of its hosting rights for next year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) despite concerns over infrastructure.

CAF is expected to send an inspection team to the country before September 23 when they are scheduled to hold an Executive Committee meeting in Accra, Ghana after which a final decision will be made.

“From the ministry point of view, we are doing everything possible to make sure that we host CHAN and we will host CHAN. We are still on course and we will deliver. We have talked to all the technical people and we will deliver it well; we don’t have a reason to worry,” a confident Sports Principle Secretary Peter Kirimi said on Thursday morning.

CAF second vice president Constant Omari was in the country on Monday but later left in the evening due to bereavement, just a few days after CAF cancelled its planned inspection tour.

According to Kirimi, Omari who was making his second visit to the country, wanted to understand the Kenyan political landscape after last week’s Supreme Court ruling and whether or not it will have an impact on preparations for the tournament.

“We explained to him everything he wanted to know and assured that the electoral process would not affect the preparations because that is democracy and it has to take its course. We also showed him the progress we have made with the stadia and he was satisfied,” the PS further explained.

His confidence was shared by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) boss Nick Mwendwa who is convinced that the renovation on all the four proposed venues is going perfectly well and the contractors will beat the 14-week deadline.

“Kinoru, Nyayo and Kipchoge Keino are progressing very well and I am satisfied with how the pace is going. Machakos is lagging behind but we are not worried about it because it is a back up stadium but what I know is the other four will be ready. We will continue to push and hopefully, CAF will listen to us,” Mwendwa, who has confirmed attendance of the September 23 Accra meeting noted.

Meanwhile, Kirimi has admitted that the process has dragged on for long since Kenya won the hosting rights in 2015, but says they will use the challenge as a learning curve to ensure better preparation next time the country wins a bid to host a major event.

“Could we have done things earlier? Yes. But we can’t dwell more on what has happened in the past but focus on what we can do now. Going forward I want to promise that any bid we win, we will make it possible to do things much earlier,” he noted.

Despite the late surge of effort from the government, sources within CAF intimate that the continental body is not yet comfortable that everything will be ready in time. South Africa has been strongly linked to replacing Kenya, just like it did for the 1996 Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Morocco have also been touted as a strong contender to substitute Kenya, but the North Africans are reported to be to preparing for the 2026 World Cup which they have bid and probably, cast an eye on the 2019 AFCON with Cameroon’s position unstable.

A total of Sh4.8bn, according to the Sports PS will be splashed out for the tournament.

The post Govt wears brave face despite CHAN uncertainty appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7 – The Ministry of Sports and Kenya Airways have entered a one-year renewable partnership that will see the national carrier become the official airline for all Kenyan teams travelling outside the country.

The partnership was signed on Thursday morning at the ministry headquarters and Principle Secretary Peter Kaberia says in the long run, the partnership will help the ministry and sports federations save on costs as well as boost better travel planning.

“Kenya for a long time has had all these federations going out and we have not had an opportunity to have an official carrier. It is a great milestone for us and the members of the federations are excited. We will no longer wait till the last minute to make ticket bookings because we will have the entire schedule with Kenya Airways,” Kaberia said.

The Harambee Starlets Under-20 team will be the first beneficiaries of the partnership as they will be flying out to Addis Ababa on September 15 for a World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia.

The national men and women’s hockey teams will be next on line as they travel to Egypt next month for World Cup qualifiers.

Kenya Airways Regional General manager Grant Onyango added that they were pleased with the signing of the year-long agreement, also pointing out they will give the best possible rates.

“We are proud to partner with the ministry to fly all Kenyan teams to their destinations. They won’t also have to be worried about destinations we don’t fly to because we are a member of sky team and have a very good network to cover all their travels,” Onyango declared.

The move is set to save federations the hustle and bustle of procuring tickets and also increase accountability especially after the happenings last year prior to the Rio Olympics.

-AK welcomes decision-

Athletics Kenya, one of the most frequent flying federations received the partnership with open arms, but AK boss Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei reiterated that the national carrier should ensure the rates are pocket friendly.

“It is very exciting for all of us. KQ flies the Kenyan flag and it will be great for our athletes who also fly the Kenyan flag everywhere to travel with them. When you fly athletes with different airline, it looks a bit awkward but now this gives athletes impetus to get there with a lot of pride and confidence,” Tuwei noted.

“I hope it will be cheaper because there are other airlines which are cheaper than KQ and sometimes when we go through agents, you find it is cheaper than going directly to KQ. I hope all this has been taken care of,” he added.

The post Kenya Airways becomes official Sports Ministry carrier appeared first on Capital Sports.

LONDON, United Kingdom, Sep 7 -Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama is set to be absent for a few weeks through injury, according to a reliable journalist.

ESPN Correspondent Dan Kilpatrick claimed on his personal Twitter account that the 26-year-old is going to miss the next few weeks due to a knee problem.

The news will be a shattering blow to the Spurs team as the Kenya international has been a colossal figure in the side during the past 12 months.

Wanyama made an immediate impact in North London following his arrival last summer and formed a brilliant partnership alongside Mousa Dembele in the centre of midfield.

Mauricio Pochettino will need to find different alternatives in his side, with Eric Dier the natural player to fill his void for the short-term future.

Wanyama missed the last Spurs game before the international break against Burnley and will be out of contention at the weekend when they travel to Everton.

The combative midfielder could also miss league clashes against Swansea and West Ham this month, while next Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund will come too soon for him.

He is a big favourite under manager Pochettino and was expected to play a big part at the start of the season.

However, he will now have to watch from the sidelines and try force his way back into the starting line-up when he returns later in September.

In other Tottenham team news, their attacker has been sidelined until next year.

The post Wanyama faces weeks out with injury appeared first on Capital Sports.

LONDON, United Kingdom, Sep 7 – Leading betting firm, SportPesa has made the star-studded shortlist for the prestigious Football Business Awards (FBA) 2017 that rewards the hard work that takes place in supporting the success of the game in the United Kingdom. 

SportPesa was shortlisted as a finalist for two global awards under the category of Best Brand Activation involving Football for their campaigns with English Premier League giants, Everton FC and English Football League Championship outfit- Hull City Tigers FC.

“It is truly an honour to receive such a high profile recognition for our efforts to promote football development across various regions and using football to unite cultures as well as build careers. To receive, not one but two nominations speaks volumes about the work we put in to grow the game,” SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri said.

SportPesa is one of the three companies with two nominations in the awards which have 97 finalists comprising English Premier League clubs, various charities, media companies, hospitality companies and gaming firms among others that have been nominated under various categories.

The black-tie FBA gala night, for the national event at which all the achievements off the pitch are celebrated at the end of each year, will be held in London on November 2.

Everton signed a record title partnership deal with the bookmaker on May 15 and got the nod for the Brand Activation award for their very first engagement with SportPesa which saw the Blues make a historic tour of Tanzania that celebrated their addition to the company’s expanding portfolio.

The Toffees; who became the first EPL team to play in East Africa when they beat 2017 SportPesa Super Cup champions, Kenyan titans Gor Mahia FC 2-1 in Dar-es-Salaam on July 13, conducted a series of engaging community activities on the side-lines of their landmark tour.

The advance party led by retired club legend, Leon Osman, travelled ahead of the squad to learn more about local culture, meet coffee growers and take a tour of Dar in a bicycle before the team visited Uhuru Primary School where UK aid is ensuring deaf and blind students receive the same level of education as their classmates.

The Toffees featuring star-signing and retired England captain; Wayne Rooney, then joined Albino United FC for a training session to highlight the challenges those with the condition face in the region and presented each player with the 2017/18 away shirt besides conducting football clinics.

The Hull City versus SportPesa All Stars game held in February, the first time for a Kenyan side to play an EPL side, gave rise to the careers of many budding footballers among them 16-year old Joshua Otieno, a player drawn from Kenya’s Sony Sugar who got a chance to briefly train with Hull City youngsters after the game.

The sixth edition of the Football Business Award will be held in London on November 2.  The latest nomination comes three months after SportPesa clinched two awards at the Discovery Sports Industry Awards held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

SportPesa scooped the award for Best African Sponsorship for its support of the grassroots league Super 8 in partnership with local organization Extreme Sports Limited. The company’s marketing campaign ‘Made of Winners’ emerged best in the Pan African Campaign of the Year category. The award came shortly after SportPesa was recognized as a Super brand in January 2017.

The post SportPesa makes shortlist for Football Business Awards appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will send an eight-man inspection team led by second vice president Constant Omari for a final assessment of the country’s preparedness for next year’s Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) on Monday, September 11.

This is after the initial inspection tour which had been set for Thursday, September 7 aborted due to what was reported as ‘the country’s political situation’.

“The CAF team will arrive on Monday, September 11 and will be here all through to September 18. It will be led by Omari and will also include departmental heads who will come in to assess whether all aspects of the tournament are okay,” FKF communications director Barry Otieno told Capital Sport.

Omari was in the country on Monday where he held a closed door meeting with the Minister of Sports Hassan Wario, the Local Organizing Committee and other government officials.

His visit was to inquire whether or not the current political situation brought about by last week’s Supreme Court ruling on a repeat of the Presidential Elections would in any way affect the preparations towards the tournament.

The visit will be monumental as whatever the inspection team will have collected by the end of their tour will have a huge impact on CAF’s decision on September 23 during their Executive Committee meeting in Accra, Ghana.

Kenya’s biggest fight with CAF in as far as the tournament is concerned rotates around infrastructure. Only Moi International Sports Center Kasarani meets the most minimum of requirements but still some amount of work needs to be put in.

On Thursday, Sports Principle Secretary Peter Kaberia confirmed that a total of Sh4.8bn will be used to ensure all stadia are ready with Kipchoge Keino in Eldoret, Kinoru in Meru and Nyayo in Nairobi fighting to beat the November deadline to be ready.

“I am confident we will host CHAN. We can’t be overconfident but I know we can convince them that we will be ready. We are not ready now, let’s be honest, but we will be ready,” Football Kenya Federation boss Nick Mwendwa told Capital Sport.

The post CAF to send CHAN inspection team Monday appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7 – Kenya’s great Paul Tergat has pledged to work with whoever will be elected during the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) elections scheduled for September 29.

The legendary Tergat said contrary to the current reports, he is not aligned to any group and his intention is to associate with everybody.

“The fact that I have been seen talking to some groups doesn’t necessary means I am endorsing them. Like everyone else, I am anxiously waiting to see how the exercise will go. After all, I only have one vote and a lot will depend on who the federations want to serve them in different capacities,” the former world marathon record holder said on Thursday.

Tergat stated that there is no reason for using him as a scapegoat as the purpose of the polls is to get a strong and focused team. He said all the federations know why NOCK is in the current situation hence change is inevitably.

“We are all campaigning and considering the position I want, I am inclined to talk to everyone. I have tried my best to reach out to every association because I cannot run a divided house. You realize sports have stalled since Rio Olympics 2016 and since we have already set up a date, we need to work with it and not pass the buck,” Tergat noted.

The five-time world cross country champion said NOCK is too big to accommodate everyone irrespective of whether one is in leadership or not. “You don’t need to be in NOCK leadership to serve your federation because our role is to cater for every federation,” he asserted.

The Sports Personality of the Year (SOYA) founder insisted that all NOCK needs right now is to focus and work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) bearing in mind the Commonwealth Games are less than six months away.

“We are already too late for the games and the more we engage in rhetoric, the more we lose on time to prepare adequately,” Tergat regretted.

“We have in the past performed well in disciplines across the board because sports is about the athletes. Nowadays, officials think about themselves first hence the current trend. This is what I would like to see changed and it will no longer be business as usual if I am given the mandate to lead the organization,” he noted.

He asked the aspiring candidates to exercise sportsmanship and compete in a friendlier environment.

“This is not a matter of life and death because after the polls, we will still need each other in the sports arena,” he added.

He said his first assignment if elected will be to ensure there is unity among the federations that are currently divided. “Charity begins at home and for Nock to function, federations have to speak with one voice,” he said.

The post I’ll work with everyone if elected NOCK boss  appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 7- With the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) resuming this weekend after the FIFA international break, defending champions Tusker FC will be looking to revive their slim chances of retaining the title when they travel to Sony Sugar on Sunday.

Having had a poor start to the second leg, head coach George ‘Best’ Nsimbe told Capital Sport  he has not lost hope despite lagging 14 points adrift of leaders Gor Mahia who are controlling the 18 team table on 34 points.

“We cannot give up. We have not lost control of the title. It’s too early we have 14 games to go and with football anything can happen. I think we can close in the 14 point gap and if we cannot make it I will be contented with a top three position,’’ Nsimbe added.

Tusker last lost to Sony five years ago in November 2013 with the last time the two sides met seeing the Brewers win 2-1 and Nsimbe believes his side can extend the good run against the Sugar Millers to six years unbeaten run.

“We have had a good record when playing Sony, but to continue with the good run we need to bring up a good fight and improve our position in the league. We know it’s not going to be easy because they (Sony) would also be seeking to improve their position in the league,’’ Nsimbe said.

The Ugandan, who took over from Paul Nkata last season, hopes to turn things around from the dismal performance that has seen Tusker only win once in the last three league games.

Tusker were eliminated from the GOtv Shield- a title they  won last year after going down 2-0 to National Super League leaders Vihiga United.

The Brewers have not won a game since then and Nsimbe hope’s to change the club’s fortune this weekend when he faces a wounded Sony side.

“When we lost our GOtv Shield title and deducted three points from the Zoo Kericho game, the team slipped off. It affected the team negatively but that is behind us and now the boys are determined to fight for the club’s name now more than ever,’’ Nsimbe lamented.

The Breweries have no injury concerns though it is doubtful on the participation of defender Collins Shivachi and midfielder Jackson Macharia who travelled with the national team for international duties.

“All my players are available for this fixture except Macharia and Shivachi who jetted back in the country on Wednesday night.  We will have to look at them closely and decide whether to include them or not.”

The post Tusker out to revive slim title defense chances appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8 – Ever since its origin the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has attracted some of the world’s best marathoners but never an athlete with such a competitive record as Dickson Chumba.

The 30-year-old Kenyan won both the 2015 Chicago Marathon and the 2014 Tokyo Marathon, two of the exclusive World Marathon Majors. That’s not all. In February of this year he finished third in Tokyo, the fourth consecutive year he has been amongst the top three in that race.

His best time ever is 2:04:32 which he recorded in finishing third in the 2014 Chicago Marathon.

Curiosity and a willingness to change direction led Chumba to confirm his Toronto appearance at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race on 22 October.

“I honestly don’t know much about the Toronto (Waterfront) Marathon but my agent, Gianni Demadonna, told me that it is a good race,” Chumba admits.

“In the last few seasons I have been running mostly Chicago and Tokyo. After my third place in Tokyo last February I thought I needed to run something different. My agent talked to me about Toronto and the possibility to run the course record or even the fastest time ever run on Canadian soil. I found the target interesting and I decided to run Toronto.”

Winning Chicago earns US$100,000. Along with an appearance fee, Toronto, in comparison, offers C$25,000 to the winner. However, there is a bonus of C$50,000 for beating the Canadian All Comers’ record of 2:06:54 set by Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia at Ottawa in 2014.

Setting a new course record –Ethiopian Deressa Chimsa set the current 2:07:05 mark in 2013– would earn C$40,000. So it’s not all about the money for this Kenyan athlete.

“So far my training has gone well,” he reports. “If I continue like that and, if the weather will be okay on that particular day, I think I can try to attack the 2:07:05.”

In Tokyo I ran 2:06:25 but it was a very fast pace for the first 30 kilometres, which I paid for a bit towards the end of the race. But if I can get into similar shape I think I can run well in Toronto.”

Training base in Kapsabet

Chumba trains at a camp in Kapsabet high up in the Great Rift Valley under the watchful eye of Italian coach Claudio Berardelli.

Amongst the group are several athletes who have run 2:06 or faster. One of the up and comers is Chumba’s younger brother, Benson Kipruto, 26, who ran 2:09:51 in Prague this year.

“Kapsabet is a very hilly area and we like training along the tea plantation there which is a very good place for our long runs,” Chumba explains.

“The rain in Kenya is a factor that we have to consider because it can rain quite a lot (April to June) and the roads become very muddy. But our coach has made us use tarmac roads when it is not possible to use the dirt roads.

The tea plantation is also a good solution during the rainy season. Roads there are the best because the tea factories are maintaining them in perfect conditions.”

The camp is not too far from Chumba’s home village where his family is located. Though he prefers to remain in the camp when he is focusing on a marathon, he does enjoy going home occasionally to visit his family and to check on the businesses he has established with race earnings.

Those visits are only undertaken when Berardelli hasn’t scheduled a group workout. Otherwise, he is totally committed to the training camp.

“I am married and I have three children, two boys of seven and five years and a girl who is one year old,” he reveals. “My wife stays at home with them and she takes care of the land we have around our home. We usually plant maize and some vegetables.

“When I am in off season, I like staying with my kids. I don’t have any particular hobby but when I am not fully in training I take care of my other business. I have built some rental houses and I hope to build some more.

I like building because, for someone like me who comes from a poor family, it allows me to visualize what I have managed to achieve in all the years of hard training. It gives me satisfaction.”

Unlike many Western athletes, who will race at some point to test their fitness in the marathon buildup, Chumba has no plans to leave Kenya before his trip to Toronto, which will be his first time in Canada.

“During the preparation for a marathon we always have two or three key workouts which give us some feedback about our shape,” Chumba says.

“It can be a fast, long run around 35km or a session of 22/24k very close to marathon pace with the last portion faster than that. But, honestly, over the years I have gained experience about my body and I can feel day by day if I am doing the right things or not.”

Among the world class field Chumba will face is defending Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon champion, Philemon Rono and a pair of Ethiopian stars:  Solomon Deksisa, who ran 2:06:22 at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon and Endeshaw Negesse the 2015 Tokyo Marathon champion who has a personal best of 2:04:52.

Clearly, this is the strongest men’s field the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has ever assembled and an indication of how far the race has come over the past decade.

The post Kenya’s Chumba aiming for Canadian all comers’ record in Toronto appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8 – The Kenyan duo of Joyciline Jepkosgei and Violah Jepchumba, history’s two fastest women over 10km, will face off over the distance once again at the Birell Prague Grand Prix, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race on Saturday.

The last time they met, also in the Czech capital, the 23-year-old Jepkosgei produced one of the most impressive road running displays ever, breaking four world records en route to her victory at he Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon on 1 April.

Jepkosgei won that race in 1:04:52 to smash the previous world record by 14 seconds. Early on in that contest, Jepkosgei and Jepchumba scorched past the 10km marker in 30:04 and 30:05, well inside the previous world record of 30:21 that Paula Radcliffe set in 2003.

Jepkosgei has raced once on the roads since, winning the Gifu Half Marathon in 1:07:44 just 22 days later.

Jepchumba has also raced sparingly since, most recently at the Gothenburg Half Marathon in May where she finished second in 1:08:10.

She’ll however return to this race as the defending champion, having clocked a superb 20:24 course record last year –at the time the second fastest of all-time– while finishing 44 seconds clear of Jepkosgei, who was the runner-up in her international road debut over the distance.

The field also includes Fancy Chemutai who was third in that Prague half marathon speedfest clocking 1:06:58 in what was her international breakthrough, after going through 10km in 30:56. She was even faster two months later in Appingedam, where she ran a 30:24 lifetime best.

Others to watch include another Kenyan, Gladys Jerop Kimaina, who has improved to 31:15 this year, and Ethiopian Netsanet Gudeta, twice a top-six finisher at the World Half Marathon Championships and the winner at this year’s Ottawa 10km in 31:15, a lifetime best.

-Kipyatich back to defend-

The men’s race also features the return of the 2016 champion.

Abraham Kipyatich upset a solid field last year with his 27:40 victory, a performance that would end the year as the third quickest in the world in 2016. While he’s remained competitive, the 24-year-old will return looking for his first victory of year; the same was true last year.

Primary among his challengers will be compatriots Benard Kimeli and Mathew Kimeli. The former arrives as the world leader on the roads courtesy of his 27:18 lifetime best in Paderborn in mid-April which he followed up with another victory 15 days later, clocking 28:14 in Wurzburg.

Meanwhile Mathew, still just 19, has already distinguished himself over the distance on the track with a sixth place finish at the Kenyan trials for the World Championships and a 27:14.43 run in Ostrava, the fastest by a U20 athlete this year. He was fifth in this race last year in 27:53, still his fastest performance on the road.

All three will keep a watchful eye on 20-year-old Jemal Yimer Mekkonen, who was fifth in the World Championships 10,000m where he clocked 26:56.11.

How he’ll convert that form and speed from the track to the roads will be one of the key questions that Saturday’s race will answer. Notably, he was fourth at the World Cross Country Championships in March over the same distance.

The post Jepkosgei, Jepchumba face off at Prague 10km appeared first on Capital Sports.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8- Despite opening a six point lead at the summit of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) table with a match at hand, Gor Mahia head coach Dylan Kerr has warned his charges against complacency as they seek to reclaim the title from Tusker FC.

K’Ogalo are controlling the 18 team table with 44 points, six ahead of second placed Sofapaka who have played a match more. Kerr has now asked his players to show the hunger to win, even as he beams in confidence he has the best squad in the country.

“You can’t be comfortable. If you are comfortable, then you are asking for trouble. You have to keep focus and keep the six point lead. The rest of the teams are challenging and we have to keep on toes. Everyone still has a chance,” Kerr told Capital Sport.

“Football is a crazy game and you have to expect anything. My concern is… do the players want it? If they want it then we will go out and perform,” the British tactician further explained.

The record 15-time KPL champions are seeking to unseat Tusker from the throne, having lost out to them last season following three wins in a row.

With 13 matches to play, Kerr is confident that if his players, who he says are the best in the league, can keep up their momentum, winning the league title will not be a far-fetched dream.

“Guys, you are the best team in this region. You guys are the best players and you know it. You got to trust me that you can have any success you want. Go out there on Saturday and give me this same energy, this same enthusiasm and win it!” Kerr beamed as he wound up his side’s training session on Thursday evening.

Gor will be travelling to Kisumu where they face a stubborn Nzoia Sugar side and the coach equally expects a tough tie.

“We highly respect them because they are a very good side. They will be coming to the game to beat Gor Mahia, just like everyone else. They will raise their game and we have to be prepared for a tough afternoon,” Kerr offered.

-Gor won first-leg-

Gor won the first leg match 1-0 at the Mumias Complex, but they know it came at a tough cost with the Bungoma based club having missed a penalty in that match.

“If you watch our training, you would be amazed. I wish we had the same aggression, speed of play and passing thought that we have in training. I say to the guys it’s a pleasure to watch them train with an attitude where they don’t want to lose, try to score, create defend…. my goalkeepers get so much work and yet when we go into games it’s different,” Kerr noted.

Enterprising winger Boniface Omondi will be coming up against his former employers, the club he left for the plush city side during the June transfer window, and he has warned that Nzoia should not be taken lightly.

“Nzoia is a very good team and the game is majorly based on speed and counter attacking football. We should go there expecting a tough game. I played in the first leg match and we really took Gor by the horns. It will be a tough game and more so I am excited to be meeting my former team,” Omondi said.

“If I am given a chance to play I will be happy because it is usually something big when you move up and get a chance to face your former team-mates,” added Omondi.

Kerr will be faced with a headache ahead of the tie with two of his key players doubtful.

Right-back Karim Nizigiyimana pulled out of training Thursday with a thigh strain while Ernest Wendo did not train as he fought off a bout of malaria.

Nizigiyimana picked up the injury during the AFC Leopards match before the international break and only returned to training on Thursday. However, he could not sustain the pace and tempo of training.

“I think sometimes these players should be honest. I understand they want to play, they want to train. Karim has been out for a couple of days and I asked him whether he is okay he said yes. Sandro (Fantoni) said he should rest but he said he is okay. Now, we will have to assess him,” Kerr said of the injury.

Meanwhile, Kerr has urged the club to ensure that three key players who are out of contract at the end of the season remain as he battles to keep a strong squad for a possible Champions League campaign next year.

Nizigiyimana, Jacques Tuyisenge and Godfrey Walusimbi all have their contracts ending in December.

“We have to speak with the board but obviously the three are very good players I would want to keep them. People will have their eyes on them but in wanting them to remain, I got to make sure the club wants them. I would love them to stay but they have to agree and hopefully they enjoy being here and like my training,” Kerr disclosed.

He has praised the trio as warriors in his team and was especially full of praise for Walusimbi’s performance for the Uganda Cranes against Egypt in a FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifier in Alexandria on Tuesday.

The post Kerr warns Gor players against complacency appeared first on Capital Sports.