NAIROBI, Kenya, May 3 – Defender Jackson Saleh was the hero with a first half header as AFC Leopards snapped a 16-year winless streak against Tusker FC with a 1-0 victory in a Kenyan Premier League (KPL) clash at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

Robert Matano picked his second win of the season at the helm of Ulinzi Stars with a 2-1 win over KCB in their first match under Rishadi Shedu who was appointed midweek.

Elsewhere, Hillary Echesa scored a late goal to help Chemelil Sugar ascend to the summit of the KPL with another 2-1 stuffing of visiting Thika United as the 11th round of the KPL rolled on Saturday.

Focus was on the unfolding events in Machakos as two of the three most decorated clubs came head to head.

With a wide array of attacking talent on show, it was defender Saleh who ran away with the headlines when his third strike of the season turned out to be the only goal of the match played at pace.

His 26th minute goal stemmed the rot that had seen Leopards clawed by Chemelil and Sofapaka in their last two matches as Francis Kimanzi slumped to his third defeat on the bounce as his opposite number, Abdallah Juma, occupying the role as an assistant for yet to be named coach, enjoyed a first victory in charge.

Juma made three changes, welcoming back captain Martin Imbalambala, keeper Patrick Matasi and Harambee Stars forward Allan Wanga who were sidelined for three weeks with injuries while custodian Wycliffe Kasaya returned to the bench.

On his part Kimanzi made four changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Chemelil introducing right back Luke Ochieng, Duncan Wafula, midfielder Ali Abondo and Joshua Oyoo.

The clash started on a high pace with both teams going all out in search of the opening goal and it was the visitors who had the first shot through Joshua Oyoo after four minutes of play but Matasi easily picked the ball.

Saleh finally broke the deadlock, heading home after Abdallah Juma’s free-kick from the left wing hit the post.

Stars speedy winger Paul Were wasted two chances on the stroke of half-time; first after he failed to capitalize on Musa Mudde’s pass that saw defender Martin Kiiza clear the danger.

He was at it again three minutes later picking Wanga’s pass but his effort hit side net as Ingwe enjoyed a 1-0 lead at the breather.

On resumption, the Brewers introduced forward Clifford Alwanga for Oyoo to seek the equaliser but he could not manage to break through Ingwe’s solid defence.

The hosts were forced to pull out Matasi who was on goal for the first time this season after he got injured and was replaced by Kasaya who was making a comeback after staying out for three weeks with injury.

Substitute Alwanga was on target twice in the 60th after Kasaya came scampering out of his area only for his defender Eric Masika to clear the ball off the line.

Kimanzi did a double substitution; bringing on Kevin Kimani for Abondo and Ismael Dunga replacing Wafula fore more firepower as the game inexplicably ended 1-0 as Tusker knocked on Leopard’s door to no avail.

“It was a good game, we were only unlucky. They only had one chance and made good use of it so we have to keep on working hard and hope luck come on our side.

“Sometimes one can tumble in the league so I don’t want to blame any one since players have always been up. Everything is working out but we only need to score and if we do that they don’t need me they can do everything on their own,” Kimanzi rued after the match.

His opposite number Juma said, “I thank God for giving me this important victory since it was eagerly waited by Ingwe family and breaking the 16 year jinx against Tusker made me happy because it has also built my CV.

“The players showed character by playing well and the winning did not come easy since we were ready for them. My system of play worked because I had played Tusker when I was at KCB so I knew how they play and that made things work, for now it’s to win more matches and hope to do well in Sudan at the Cecafa Nile Basin tournament.”

Chemelil scaled to the top of the log at the expense of champions Gor Mahia who play Sunday as Mike Mururi’s charges continued their unbeaten run at Chemelil Complex.

The match started at slow pace with both sides holding back for a goalless first-half.

Substitute Moses Arita struck first for the visitors in the 76th minute from a David King’atua cross before Stephen Wakhanya levelled three minutes later.

Echesa then drilled a thunderbolt into the back of the net for the win.

At Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium, Ulinzi earned a sweet revenged following their 2-1 win over KCB who eliminated them in the Top 8 by an identical score line a fortnight ago in Machakos.

This was the first match for coach Shedu who was appointed on Thursday to replace Juma who was sacked three weeks ago after a string of poor results.

The former Bandari tactician made two changes to the squad that edged out Top Fry Nakuru 3-2 introducing Andrew Murunga and Kokola Manopi.

The Soldiers were the better side as they went to the interval leading by two goals that were netted by Evans Amwoka in the 22nd before Kevin Amwayi doubled four minutes later.

Teenager Chrispinus Onyango pulled one back at the 60th connecting home Murunga’s cross but Ulinzi held on for the crucial win that lifted them to 11th with 13 points as the bankers continued to be routed at the basement.

The league continues on Sunday with five matches on the card, Gor will be away to play Sony Sugar in Nakuru while Sofapaka will host Western Stima at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

KRA will square it out with Mathare United in an early kick-off at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium in a televised match before City Stars invite bottom placed Top Fry Nakuru at the same venue.

Muhoroni Youth will wrap up this weekend’s fixture when they welcome Bandari.

NEUCHÂTEL, May 4- Tour de France champion Chris Froome said he was bang on track to defend his Grand Boucle crown after retaining his Tour of Romandie title by winning Sunday’s final stage time-trial.

Kenyan born Froome began the 18.5km individual time-trial around Neuchatel just one second behind yellow jersey wearer Simon Spilak but the Team Sky rider finished the course 29sec ahead of the Slovenian.

“It’s an important race for me, it was a very different Tour of Romandie from last year,” said Froome, who led almost from start to finish a year ago.

“But I’m really happy with my condition and this is a really crucial time building up to the Tour de France.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say whoever wins the Tour de Romandie will win the Tour de France, but it’s definitely a good sign and a sign that I’m on track for the Tour de France.”

It was a welcome return to form for Froome who was only sixth in the Tour of Catalunya, his previous race in late March, having suffered from a back injury and illness over the past two months.

In mid-March he had to pull out of the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race, won by main Tour de France rival Alberto Contador, due to his back problem, whilst illness kept him out of last Sunday’s Liege-Bastogne-Lieg.

Victory in Romandie was the Briton’s second stage race win of the year having triumphed at the Tour of Oman in February, where he was also the reigning champion.

Katusha’s Spilak finished second overall with world champion Rui Costa of Portugal third, mirroring exactly last year’s podium.

World time-trial champion Tony Martin was second on the stage, which included a tough climb, by just one second with New Zealand’s Jesse Sergent third at 8sec.

In each of the last three years, the Tour de Romandie winner has gone on to claim success at the Tour de France.

Before Froome achieving that double last year, Bradley Wiggins did so in 2012 and Australian Cadel Evans did likewise in 2011.

And in an ominous message to his rivals, Froome said that despite not winning as much as he had done at this stage last year, when he had also won the Criterium International and finished second at Tirreno-Adriatico, he feels he is in better shape.

“I think this block (of training) now will be really important before the Criterium du Dauphine (in June),” he added.

“We’re just under two months now from the start of the Tour. I feel like I’m in really good condition already but I still do have quite a lot of work to do before the Dauphine.

“I think I’m on track, I’m where I need to be, if anything I think I’m ahead of where I was this time last year, which is a really good feeling especially after all the setbacks and difficulties this season.

“I’m just really happy with where I am and I’m hoping in this next block — I’ll be going back to Tenerife for altitude training for two weeks — that I can improve on my condition there.”

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 4 – Champions Gor Mahia returned to the summit of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) on Sunday after edging bitter rivals Sony Sugar 1-0 at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.

Ugandan talisman, Dan Sserunkuma, was once again the toast of K’Ogalo with the winning goal as the titleholders continued to belie their woes with the taxman and now world governing body Fifa with potent pitch performances after edging the ten-men of Sony.

Western Stima rallied from two goals down to hold 10-man Sofapaka to a 3-3 draw in a thrilling clash played at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

Newcomers KRA climbed to third on the log with a 1-0 win over 2008 champions, Mathare United at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium before fellow promoted side, Top Fry Nakuru held City Stars to a barren stalemate in a televised double header.

After the fracas that broke in Awendo last season between the two foes, Sony were compelled to hold their home tie against K’Ogalo in Nakuru as their former captain and head coach, Zedekiah Otieno, once again attempted to derail the crisis hit giants.

The came was a keenly contested affair with Sserunkuma netting the decider in the 68th minute through a free-kick for his fifth goal of the season when Eugene Ochieng hacked down midfielder and namesake Eric Ochieng that saw him sent off with a straight red card.

The Sugar miller’s top scorer, Edwin Odour thought he had given his side the lead just after five minutes when he was put through by Marwa Chamberi but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Left back Godfrey Walusimbi could have broke the deadlock in the 40th with his free-kick when Ochieng was fouled by Charles Odette but the resulting kick was off target as both sides shared the spoils at the break.

Otieno charges opted to sit back and defence hoping for a counter attack breakthrough that saw Israel Emuge clear Oduor’s cross.

Harambee Stars midfielder Anthony Akumu, could have doubled Gor’s lead in the 75th but his venomous free-kick came back from the post on his return from a three-week injury lay off with Sserunkuma missing the target from the rebound.

Gor supplanted surprise package Chemelil Sugar from the top with 23 points after the sugar millers hit Thika United 2-1 on Saturday.

Machakos thriller

In Machakos, Enock Agwanda opened the scoring for Sofapaka in the second minute after tapping in a John Baraza long pass to take his goal tally to six and top of the KPL charts.

Veteran Baraza then doubled the lead in the 15th heading home Agwanda’s corner before Fredrick Nyarobo pulled one back for Stima three minutes later, cutting in from the right flank to slot in.
It was 2-2 at the half hour with David Okello equalising before Shafik Batambuze put the visitors ahead in the 40th heading in Nyarombo’s cross from the left to beat Sofapaka custodian David Okello.

However the lead did not last as Clifton Miheso equalized just before the breather heading home Yusuf Juma’s cross from the left.

They however suffered a huge blow in the 66th as Collins Shivachi was sent off for a second bookable offense.

Batambuze could have given Stima the lead two minutes later but his hard shot from just outside the box hit the bar.

Sofapaka introduced Eugene Asike for Baraza while Stima pulled out Batambuze bringing Gabriel Andika in the 76th and Dennis Onkangi for Nyarombo a few minutes later but the changes had no effect as the match ended in a 3-3 draw to see the 2009 champions fourth on 18 points.

In the early kick-off at Nyayo Stadium, Ken Kenyatta side prevailed with Joseph Mulume scoring the only goal against Mathare when he curled in the ball from the edge of the box in the 26th minute.

Mathare’s chance to level the scores came in the 61st but custodian Kevin Otieno who eventually was voted the man of the match denied David Mwangi, parrying away his hard shot for a fruitless corner.

Roosevelt Blatty was soon rested and Rodgers Owino took his place, an obvious attempt by Kenyatta to solidify his defense.

Kenneth Wendo, who had replaced Isuza, missed a glorious chance to equalise with nine minutes left after an incisive pass from Joseph Njuguna.

Otieno did well to deny youngster substitute Eric Johanna in the 88th easily picking his hard shot.

In the last match of the day Top Fry held on host Nairobi City Stars to a barren draw to see the Kawangware base drop to 13 with 12.

In other results, Bandari secured a second consecutive draw after sharing a barren draw with Muhoroni Youth.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 4- Paul Treu finally managed to get one over his former employers, South Africa, as Kenya’s spirited run at the Glasgow 7s ended with a deflating 26-5 loss to England in the Plate Finals on Sunday.

A vastly improved Shujaa failed to nail a place in the Main Cup semi final earlier in the day after losing 14-5 to Canada in the last eight but after coming unstuck against the Blitzbokke four times this season, Treu led his charges to a 14-7 win in a draining Plate semi.

That set up a decider against England and the fatigue told as they slumped to a 26-0 reverse before Tony Owour’s last minute try salvaged some pride.

James Rodwell and Dan Norton fired England to a 14-0 advantage in the first half before further tries from Norton and Marcus Watson sealed the win.

Treu, who had earlier stated the last four would be his target for the penultimate HSBC World Series round fell just short at the hands of the Canadians after scrapping through from a tough Group C on Saturday.

That set up a meeting against his former side and they duly registered their second win of the tournament after walloping Argentina 33-19 their last pool encounter.

After loses to the Blitzbokke in Dubai, Port Elizabeth, Las Vegas and Japan, recalled veteran Humphrey Kayange scored two first half tries with Biko Adema converting for a 14-0 lead at the break to illustrate he is not a spent force yet.

Justin Geduld scored the consolation for the Blitzbokke in extra time to put the gross on the score line.

In the Main Cup quarters, Kenya conceded two tries in the first-half as Mike Scholz and Harry Jones went over twice in the opening two minutes and they held on to lead 14-0 at the break after both efforts were converted.

Stand-in captain Collins Injera once again proved his prowess giving Kenya the consolation on resumption to increase his chances of finishing among the top three highest try scorers this season.

Injera slipped into elder brother Humphrey Kayange’s inside pass to sprint and touch down under the posts for his 187th career try but missed his conversion as Canada solidified made the semis.

France beat Argentina 20-14 to lift the Bowl as Wales thrashed Japan 29-12 to be crowned Shield winners.

Kenya travel to the season closing London 7s at Twickenham hoping to wrap up their campaign on a high next weekend.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Olympics champion and world record holder, David Rudisha, has shifted his focus to getting fit for the May 31 IAAF Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon after a calf-strain ruled him out of this Friday’s opener in Doha.

Rudisha, 25, was among the top draws for the Qatar Super Grand Priz but was forced out following the slight muscle injury he sustained last week while training in Iten.

“He told me a few days ago he was feeling stiffness in his muscles. He is disappointed he will not go; Doha is a special meeting to him.

“He has won there a few times and the organisers have been wonderful to him. He felt his calf muscles and he knew he could not give his all and that is why he opted out,” his coach, Brother Colm O’Connell, told Capital Sport on Monday.

“He would have loved to go but he did not feel up to it. He has two weeks to prepare for Eugene and he is really up to it to be in good shape for that,” the revered Patrician Brothers tactician added.

Connell said the record holder who blasted to the all time best at the unbelievable final of the London 2012 Olympics where he stopped the clock at 1:40.91 was back in light training as they tried to ease him back to action.

Having twisted his knee injury ahead of the New York Diamond League meeting last season, Rudisha has sat out of action for almost a year, missing the defence of his world title in Moscow last summer.

A statement from organisers on Sunday confirmed his belated withdrawal from Doha.

“I’m very disappointed not to be able to race in Doha. I know I have got a lot of fans there and I’m sorry I cannot compete for them,” Rudisha said in the statement.

“He has been training well, progressively getting fitter and stronger these last months and was excited about returning to competition in Doha. It’s been on his agenda these last months and he’s been building towards that.

“It’s not a major injury but he has been sore and unfortunately doesn’t feel able to risk his comeback by racing in Doha next week,” his manager, James Templeton, added.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Having underlined lofty ambitions ahead of the penultimate leg of the 2013/14 HSBC World Series in Scotland, head coach Paul Treu, can reflect back on an outing that bred optimism ahead of the season closing London 7s this weekend.

Despite winning only two games, the second a first victory in five against his former charges South Africa, Kenya 7s bowed out of Scotland at the Plate Finals, losing 26-5 to England, to collect 12 points that moved them up to seventh on the log.

Argentina and Samoa were the sides Kenya rose above with their tally of 72 well short of matching their 99 from last season but in close Pool C defeats to Wales (19-24) and Fiji (17-24) before sealing a Main Cup quarters slot on try difference with a 33-19 win over Argentina, Treu’s side at last showed some promise.

However, their charge to the semis of the main competition were brought to an end by surprise package Canada (5-14) before their Plate semis brought the South African the joy of beating his former side 14-7.

Drained from the tough encounter to the Blitzbokke, Kenya meekly surrendered to England who beat them last season at the only Main Cup final they have contested to date at Wellington.

Ahead of Twickenham, Kenya are yet to hit the heights of last season where they made five Main Cup semis in Gold Coast, Dubai, Wellington, Hong Kong and London but after failing to adopt to his tactics, the team is finally adopting to Treu’s methods that differ in contrast to Mike Friday, his predecessor.

While commentating for TV, Friday accused his successor of constraining the side, “He should allow Kenya to play the flowing fast rugby they are used to,” he said but even acknowledged the team had shown signs of life.

“Was good to see the endeavour and the boys playing with more width in attack..& hopefully @OumaOscar can be available for London?!” the Englishman tweeted.

“I’m disappointed since we had chances against Wales but we failed to utilize and they came from behind to beat us. We are just inconsistent at the moment because sometimes we play well and at other times we tend to give easy tries away.

“Players should learn to get consistent and believe in themselves, with that we will progress in the one tournament left. At the Plate finals we played well against England who are classic but for now we will have to go and finish the season on a high next weekend at London 7s,” Treu said after the dust settled on Scotland 7s.

However, this was an immensely improved side after coming from poor performance in Hong Kong where they bagged three points following their Shield win to repeat Gold Coast result and pick their second highest points this season.

Despite the team missing four key players who are ruled out with injuries led by captain Andrew Amonde, recalled veteran Humphrey Kayange was instrumental in Scotland after partnering well with his younger sibling Collins Injera to score four tries in the tournament and notch his 140th career try.

The riddle of who can replace the Bristol University veteran in the Kenyan ranks remains as his worth to the team appears not to diminish even though he was named as a reserve.

Once again, the team had itself to blame for simple errors like poor handling of the ball which cost them huge leads against Wales and Fiji as they suffered come-from-behind defeats.

Against the islanders, Kenya were close to breaking a 14 year-old jinx but they failed to defend their 17-5 advantage at the break.

Wales clash saw Treu slump to a second successive defeat against a side that eliminated them 10-7 in the group stage at Hong Kong.

Despite the inconsistence performance, Injera is placed third on the season’s top try scorers list with 28 with Fiji’s Samisoni Viriviri leading with 48, 17 ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Mikkelson.

Defending Series champions All Blacks beat Canada 54-7 to lift their fourth Main Cup this season and be on course for a 12th title as they lead the chart with 158 points while South Africa are second with 139, 10 ahead of Fiji who are third.

Kenya will play in a tricky Pool B alongside USA, Samoa and Canada in London.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Harambee Stars head coach, Adel Amrouche, has named for new faces in the squad of 17 local players invited to prepare for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier preliminary round first leg clash against Comoros on May 18.

Domestic league champions Gor Mahia and bitter rivals AFC Leopards dominate the squad that has seen the Belgian tactician once again include Ingwe’s keeper, Wycliffe Kasaya, who is yet to play for his nation at the expense of injured regular, Duncan Ochieng, of Sofapaka.

In a statement, Football Kenya Federation asked the call-ups to report to Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani to begin training Tuesday with the foreign contingent that will complete the 23-man team to be named later.

Lower division Kariobangi Sharks player, Hillary Otieno is the only inclusion outside the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) with fellow defender, Oliver Kipruto, who plies his trade with Ulinzi Stars also getting a maiden nod.

High flying promoted KRA have Geoffrey Kataka in with another midfielder, Harrison Mwendwa of Mathare United completing the new faces in the squad.

Captain Jerim Onyango, defender David ‘Calabar’ Owino and midfielder Anthony Akumu from K’Ogalo retain their places in the national side and despite their KPL woes; Leopards who completed a much needed 1-0 win over Tusker last weekend have most of the players in the squad with four.

James Situma, Jacob Keli and Allan Wanga are other Ingwe players besides Kasaya in Amrouche’s team.

The Belgian has kept faith with the bulk of the side that won the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup last December in Nairobi and will be hoping to lead Kenya to the Afcon for the first time since 2004.

Liberia or Lesotho await the aggregate winner of the Kenya-Comoros two-legged tie and further progression will see Stars join Group C alongside last year’s beaten finalists, Burkina Faso, Angola and Gabon to compete for a ticket for the 2015 Morocco Afcon.

Kenya has in the past beaten their potential Group C rivals on home soil in the race for previous Afcons or FIFA World Cups.

PRELIMINARY SQUAD

Goalkeepers; Wilson Obungu (Bandari), Wycliffe Kasaya (AFC Leopards), Jerim Onyango (Gor Mahia); Defenders; James Situma (AFC Leopards), David Owino (Gor Mahia); Musa Mohammed (Gor Mahia); Mulinge Ndetto (Ulinzi Stars); Oliver Kipruto (Ulinzi Stars); Joackins Atudo (Tusker); Hillary Otieno (Kariobangi Sharks); Midfielders; Antony Akumu (Gor Mahia), Clifton Miheso (Sofapaka), Paul Kiongera (KCB), Geoffrey Kataka (KRA), Harrison Mwendwa (Mathare Utd) Strikers: Allan Wanga (AFC Leopards), Jacob Keli (AFC Leopards).

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- The wagging of the finger that made Kenya’s two-time 1,500m world champion, Abel Kiprop, be accused of showmanship, but he made a comeback with booking a place in the inaugural IAAF World Relays in Bahamas.

As the selected squad continues to train for the event at their residential camp in Nairobi, Kiprop heads for the May 24-25 showpiece in Bahamas as the marquee athlete in the team of 30.

It was during the April 25 Trials for Bahamas that Kiprop, 24, won his individual time trial in a world leading 3:36.55 before anchoring his team to victory in the subsequent relay.

As he came in for the finish to the 4x1500m relay, his friend Nixon Chepseba was chasing Kiprop hard over the homestretch when the champion slowed, wagged his finger before using his long strides to fend off the challenger.

With no pressure at all, he could afford to indulge himself in showboating, an aspect of his game he had cut off his repertoire after a series of major disappointments in his earlier carrier.

“Nothing gives me greater joy than to compete for my country and I’m pleased to have made the Bahamas team. The chance to win another gold medal for the country is exciting.”

“This is the first event of this kind to be held and being among the first winners will be historic. With my team mates, we will work to ensure we go ahead and bring victory,” the Daegu and Moscow world champion said.

“Oh, that! It did not mean anything at all; I just wanted to make my fans happy. I now take everything I do seriously and I’m out to achieve as much as I can,” the 2008 Beijing Olympics champion said on his gesture.

As a rookie athlete and fresh from winning the 2007 All Africa Games crown in Algiers, Kiprop was criticised when the following season, he wagged his finger at his rivals in a show of jest.

He had just won his semi final of the men 800m at the Africa Championships in Addis Ababa before taking bronze in the medal race.

Undeterred, he continued being a show pony any time he won at the Kenyan Trials before going on to miss the 2007 and 2009 world titles but ahead of the Daegu Worlds in 2011, his attitude towards his opponents changed.

Having been awarded 2008 Olympics gold when disgraced Bahrain runner, Rashid Ramzi, was sanctioned for drug use, Kiprop put his act together to win the following two world crowns and the 2010 African title despite injury slowing his progress at the London 2012 Olympics.

With a Bahamas team featuring Kiprop, Commonwealth champion, Silas Kiplagat, Collins Cheboi, Joseph Magut, Hillary Maiyo and Chepseba, Kenya has the six fastest metric milers on the planet in the World Relays squad.

This potent squad is eyeing the 14:36.23 world record in the 4x1500m set by their compatriots Augustine Choge, William Tanui (now Tanui Oblizhen of Turkey), Gideon Gathimba and Geoffrey Rono at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels.

“We are capable since all of us have gone under 3:28 and if we perfect the change over, we are capable of returning home with the world record and the gold,” Kiprop asserted.

He underlined his intentions of attempting the long-standing 3:26.00 men 1500m all time best set by his idol, Hicham El Guerrouj, this season.

“It’s still too early in the season to talk about breaking the world record but being no major championship this year, I will train to run faster. For once, I’ve started the season without injury and my pre-season training has gone according to plan. My focus at the moment is to make a good start in the Diamond League in Doha and Bahamas.”

“After that, anything is possible,” the 3:27.72 personal best runner who will launch his outdoor campaign at Friday’s Qatar Super Grand Prix in the opening IAAF Diamond League opener in Doha explained.

With the Commonwealth, Africa Championships and World Cup to come, Kiprop has the events to add to his already bulging medal collection after his Bahamas assignment.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 6 – Norway based first choice custodian; Arnold Origi will miss the first leg of 2015 Africa Cup of Nations preliminary round qualifier against Comoros as Harambee Stars head coach; Adel Amrouche came under fire for omitting league top scorer Enoch Agwanda from his squad.

Saudi Arabia Al Taawon defender; David Ochieng meanwhile, is the only foreign based player in camp after their season ended with Origi, who last played for Stars last June, unavailable due to commitments with his Lillestrom side.

“He is a good goalkeeper who always wants to play for the national team so I prefer losing him for one game rather than having problem with his club.

“It’s a good chance for our local keepers, Jerim Onyango, Wilson Obungu and Wycliffe Kasaya to prove themselves since if they don’t play now when will they? If one of them performs better and takes over number one, well and good,” the Belgian said Tuesday.

Tusker FC defender Aboud Omar, was the latest call up to the team replacing Ulinzi Stars right back Mulinge Ndetto who is injured but will train with squad.

Amrouche came under siege for omitting Sofapaka forward, Agwanda, who has struck seven goals in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) as he kept faith with the strikers who won him the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup last December.

AFC Leopard duo, Jacob Keli and Allan Wanga are yet to register in the league while the former Sony Sugar forward Agwanda notched his seventh last Sunday in their 3-3 draw with Western Stima where he also set up the other two goals.

“Agwanda is in my books but at the moment we don’t have the chance to bring all players but I hope in future if we play more friendly games; don’t be surprised to see him in the team if he maintains the good form,” the head coach explained on the KPL top scorer.

“I have hopes with him but I can’t compare him with Oliech who is far much better. The problem with our young players they don’t keep consistency for example; Pattillah Omotto, I thought I had a wonderful player and all over sudden his form went down,” Amrouche told further.

That was a strong hint that record scorer and former captain, Denis Oliech, who is being courted by South Africa PSL sides after his French Ligue 1 club AJ Ajaccio went down, will be among the foreign players who will be named later in the squad.

He went on to accuse local players of showing inconsistency that is giving him issues as he strives to establish a core side.

“In AFC Leopards, it’s only James Situma who is in top form. Allan Wanga and Jacob Keli sometimes play well, sometimes they don’t; same as Gor Mahia’s Anthony Akumu,” the Belgian claimed.

“We are not going to underrate them since they played in a friendly match against Burkina Faso and drew 1-1.

“We only need to be more focused, determined and have the fighting spirit then the rest will follow. For now I urge all Kenyans to rally behind the team since they are our 12th player that we need most,” Amrouche said of the islanders they are yet to meet in any competition.

The foreign based players who include English Premier League side Southampton midfielder and stars captain Victor Wanyama, Oliech, Inter Milan midfielder Macdonald Mariga, FK Tirana’s Francis Kahata and Oman based Jamal Mohammed among others are expected to join the squad later.

Kenya will face the winner of the Liberia vs Lesotho preliminary if they overcome Comoros over two legs and should they progress further, a place in Group C of the final pool qualifiers featuring 2013 Afcon finalists Burkina Faso, Gabon and Angola await.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – Former World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei is aiming to mark her return to the international stage by winning her third gold medal for Kenya at inaugural IAAF World Relays Championship in Bahamas.

Jepkosgei famously known as ‘Eldoret Express’ will partner World champion Eunice Sum, Kenya Prisons runner Sylvia Chesebe, former World Youth winner, Cherono Koech, Agatha Jeruto, and Miriam Chepkemoi in the women 4x800m at the global showpiece that runs May 24 and 25.

“Everyone is taking this championship seriously and for me it’s something different in my career so we are looking forward for the event and hoping to perform well.

“It’s also easier for us since we are doing the 800m that I’m used to, we just need to work hard in training and to prepare like any other championship.

“We have a strong team for example in my team the ladies are well prepared and the good thing is that we have worked together for long, so we are going for the win and if a record comes we will appreciate,” Jepkosgei who won the 2007 Osaka World Championship, told Capital Sport on Wednesday.

Jepkosgei expects stiff competition from Russia, USA and Great Britain and departed the country Wednesday with Jeruto and Africa Cross Country champion Faith Chepng’etich for the IAAF Diamond League opener in Doha Qatar on Friday.

Two time 1500m World Champion, Asbel Kiprop, commonwealth winner Silas Kiplagat, 1500m women World bronze medallist Hellen Obiri and 5000m World silver medalist Mercy Cherono are among the 16 who also left the camp for Doha on Tuesday.

At the same, the men 4x 200m sprinters team that comprises of Stephen Baraza, Walter Moenga, Boniface Khagai, Stanley Kieti and Said Ruto, has sent a warning to their competitors not to underrate them.

“Its not that we are over confidence but this is our time to prove to the world that we are able. We will be there and we are going to make a bold statement.

“We want the world to recognize us and in whatever means we are going to be a pain to all other teams since our aim is to reach the finals because we have to take Kenya where it was.

“It’s possible since we are in good shape, the training is good and it’s upon us to perform. We are optimistic and we hope for the best,” 200m runner Moenga expressed.

The team was earlier omitted only to be brought in later after Athletics Kenya bowed to pressure.

Head coach Sammy Rono, said morale is high at the camp and they are looking forward to lay a mark at the maiden event but at the same time he will approach the championship cautiously.

“We don’t want to underrate anyone but we have a good team that is capable of registering good results.

“Today we did some drills since it was our second day and for the 4x800m and 4x 1500m both men and women we don’t have much to do since they are experienced its only getting the speed work and endurance,” Rono stated.

“For the sprinters we are concentrating on them since we will be facing very good teams like the host, USA, Jamaica so it will be very competitive but if we reach semi-final it will be okay with me,” the coach added on sprinters.

The team of 30 is expected to depart on May 17th for Bahamas.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – Substitute Jacob Keli scored a second-half header against his former side KCB to salvage a 1-1 draw for AFC Leopards in their first leg of KPL Top 8 semi-final at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday.

Andrew Murunga opened the scoring in the 25th minute before Keli grabbed his second goal of the season to level the scores in the game where both sides ended with 10-men.

Sosthenes Idah was the first culprit after receiving a second yellow card before Leopards midfielder Musa Mudde followed suit in the second-half for the same reasons.

“The boys played well and according to our strategy but I have the problem with time, the referee since he played 82 minutes and that wasted us a lot. Mudde’s red card did not affect me since I went on with my strategic tactic.

“This is my first trophy that I want to win with Leopards because I struggled to qualify to the tournament when I was at KCB and I’m confident we will perform well since players are aggressive,” Leopard assistant coach Abdallah Juma who was managing his last game as the man reported to take over, Briton Trevor Morgan watched from the stands declared after the match.

On his part newly appointed KCB coach Rashidi Shedu, said, “I’m very happy because getting a draw from a team like Leopards is not easy. We had planned not to concede but through set piece lapse in defence they equalised but I achieved what I wanted.

“Idah’s red card really affected us because at no time do a team train with 10 players so we didn’t expect it. For those few minutes it was anxious for us but for now were are focusing on our next KPL match where we want to make sure we win the four games because if we slip again the gap will widen and that will make the second leg difficult for us,” Shedu stated.

The Bankers made three changes to the team that lost 2-1 to Ulinzi Stars on Saturday starting with keeper Sammy Okinda, forwards Tirus Omondi and Francis Ouma while Leopards made only one preferring midfielder Oscar Kadenge in the first X1 replacing Keli who was relegated to the bench.

Ingwe who were at home started with intent with Harambee Stars forward Allan Wanga, winger Paul Were and Kadenge being instrumental in the first 10 minutes.

Wanga came close in the third after tapping Juma Abdallah free-kick from outside the box but Okinda was at the right position to deal with it before picking Kadenge’s hard shot.

Wanga could have opened the scoring in the 17th but he wasted Were’s cross from the right flank after his back hill went wide.

Ingwe continued to pile pressure on the bankers with captain Martin Imbalambala

Unleashing a thunderous shot after Okinda spilled Kadenge’s cross only to see his effort blocked by defenders.

The visitor’s first chance came in the 25th and they did not waste it with former Tusker FC forward Murunga heading far post from Idah’s long range free-kick as Stars custodian Wycliffe Kasaya haplessly watched the ball roll into the net to beak the deadlock.

The goal provider Idah was sent off for a second book-able offence on a hard tackle to Kadenge as Okinda once again rescued Were’s powerful header to lead by a solitary goal at the breather.

Shedu pulled out Francis Ouma in the last half, bringing in Bennedict Owuor to cover up at right back as Paul Kiongera played as the lone striker.

Were had a great chance to level in the 57th but Okinda pulled off a superb save to deny the winger who was later awarded the man of the match.

Shedu introduced Keli for Bernard Mang’oli and last season’s top score after attempted twice with Okinda once again rising to the occasion.

Referee Anthony Ogwayo, evened the players in the 72nd when he sent Ugandan Mudde to early shower after showing him the second yellow following an infringement on Michael Oyando.

Ingwe made good use of the opportunity to restore parity two minutes later through Keli who headed in Abdallah Juma’s free-kick to net his second goal of the season, having scored in their league opener against his former side to rescue Leopards then under James Nandwa.

Both sides will square it out in the second leg with the winner progressing to the finals.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8- Cherangany MP and 2011 Boston Marathon champion, Wesley Korir, will line-up against the best field ever assembled for the 2014 Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label race, in Canada.

The first legislator in the world to combine the suit of the august house and the rigours of the running shoes will be keen to impress in Ottawa in front of his in-laws having married Canadian athlete Tarah McKay who is expect to feature in the women’s race.

However, the 2:06:13 career best MP who has won Los Angeles Marathon twice (2009 and 10) will not a clear run to the tape with organisers naming the quickest field ever as they target to break the 2:07:05 Canadian soil record set at last year’s Toronto Marathon by Ethiopia’s Derissa Chimsa.

“It’s the best field we’ve ever assembled in Ottawa,” athlete coordinator for Ottawa, Manny Rodrigues told IAAF as he unveiled the elite line-up for the race.

They are aiming to lower the course records registered last year by Ethiopian duo of Tariku Jufar (2:08:05) and Yeshi Esayias (2:25:31) who took the men and women races.

As an incentive to eclipse that mark, the Ottawa organisers have put up a bonus of US$10,000 (Sh871,000) as well as a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sports Utility Vehicle to whoever can beat that standard in Ottawa in addition to the US$20,000 (Sh1.742) first place prize money.

Thanks to his impressive record in the classic distance, Korir is the man to watch.

The tactically smart University of Louisville graduate is most famous for his ‘come from behind’ victory at the 2012 Boston Marathon and finished second in Chicago in 2011.

The legislator has a reputation for producing on the day and certainly will be the man to watch.

“My training has been going well, not the best, but good,” he admits. “I think coming to Canada for the two months before the race will allow me to push it to the next level. My work in parliament has been very busy.”

“I have been doing about 70 to 80 miles a week and am now starting to push it up there. I train by myself but I have a bodyguard, a policeman, who runs with me sometimes. He is a 2:06 guy.”

Korir, 31, is naturally cautious about predicting the outcome but believes he will be fully prepared.

“Ottawa is going to be an incredible competitive field,” he declared. “I think Ottawa has done a great job in recruiting the best athletes. It will give me an opportunity to compete and try to win the race. My first goal is to win the race.”

Korir may be the most decorated and accomplished marathoner in the field, but he is not the fastest as that distinction belongs to Yemane Tsegay Adhane, who won the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon in a brilliant 2:04:48.

More recently, Tsegay Adhane won the 2014 Daegu International Marathon on April 6 in 2:06:50.

The Ethiopian has also won the 2013 Marathon Eindhoven in driving rain and has twice represented his country in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships, finishing fourth in Berlin 2009 and eighth a year ago in Moscow.

The question now will be whether he has sufficient time to recover from his effort in the Korean city to tackle such a seasoned performer as Korir.

Given the demanding schedules of leading candidates, it could be another Ethiopian who pulls off an upset in Ottawa. Bazu Worku sports a best time of 2:05:25 from the 2010 Berlin Marathon.

More recently, in January, Worku won Houston in 2:07:32 and in March notched up his second victory of the year when winning in the Japanese city of Otsu in 2:09:10.

Another potential champion is Mulugeta Wami. He has a best time of 2:07:11 from the 2012 Amsterdam Marathon.

Wami is also the brother of Gete Wami, a two-time winner of the Berlin Marathon and former World champion on the track and at cross country.

Ethiopia’s Ehitu Kiros is the class act in the women’s field with a personal best of 2:23:39 from the 2013 Dubai Marathon.

Last autumn, Kiros was also sixth in the Chicago Marathon. Having gone out aggressively, she passed through the half way mark in 1:11:16 before fading over the last ten kilometres to finish in 2:27:42.

Her compatriot, Etalemahu Kidane will also be in the hunt for the $20,000 first prize if she can find the form that took her to a personal best of 2:25:49 at the 2012 Hamburg Marathon.

A strong Kenyan contingent will be led by 34-year-old Agnes Kiprop, whose best time of 2:23:54 was achieved at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8 – There was drama at the Africa Youth Games trials on Thursday after Africa Cross junior silver medallist, Andrew Lorot, was barred from competing over age cheating claims.

Lorot, who was preparing to run the boys’ 3000m race, suffered the shock when the vetting panel withdrew him over discrepancies in his identification documents that were found to differ from the one he presented at the selection event for last year’s IAAF World Youth Games where he was also disqualified.

Competition Director and the chairman of the Athletics Kenya (AK) vice-president in charge of youth; Lt. General (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei, went on to warn athletes who were selected for the Botswana continental showdown in Gaborone, they risk facing the axe since vetting will continue even when they will be in camp.

“We had problems of identifying the correct age of athletes and today we came across two issues on age cheating. But I urge officials and athletes to avoid cheating since vetting will continue even if they are in camp.

“We will scrutinize their documents because we will follow up with their school and ministry of Education until we are satisfied that what they presented is correct but if we find out one has cheated, we will not hesitate from pulling him or her from the team since we have done it before,” Tuwei stated.

This led the AK Nairobi Branch that entered Lorot in the event to pen a protest letter to the jury of appeal, claiming the Form 2 student from Riruta Satellite Secondary school was illegible to compete since he used the same documents to run at the Kampala Africa Cross in Uganda this year where he took home the men’s 8km individual second medal in 22:50.19 as well as the team gold for Kenya.

“This has been a trend since it’s is not the first time they are denying athletes from Nairobi and we are saying it should stop and if they are not going to reinstate him we are going to court.

“The said athlete had all the necessary document to enable him be enrolled for the trials and I was surprised to hear the vetting panel say they disqualified him since he presented different document that he produced last year, concluding that he was overage,” part of the protest letter signed by branch Secretary General and national Race walking head coach, George Kariuki read.

Meanwhile, 2000m steeple chase World Youth girls’ champion Rosefeline Chepng’etich was among 14 athletes selected for Gaborone games that will run from May 22 to 31.

The team will head to camp next week and are set to depart on May 17.

The Championships will be used as qualifiers for the Youth Olympics Games that will be held in ‎Nanjing, China from Aug 16 to 28.

Selected team

200m – Maureen Thomas and Geofrey Kiprotich

400m – Purity Chepkoech and Ian Mutuku

400m Hurdles- Geoffrey Kipng’etich

800m – Agnes Mulee and Anthony Kiptoo

1500m – Winfred Mbithe and Gilbert Kwemoi

2000m s/c – Rosfline Chepng’etich and Amos Kirui

300m – Jackline Chepkoech and Moses Koech

Tripple Jump – Joptang Kipyego.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8- The management tussle at Harambee Stars took another twist Thursday when Football Kenya Federation (FKF) ordered assistant coach, James Nandwa, to rejoin the squad immediately.

Reports in Stars’ camp said Nandwa, who was recently fired from Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side, AFC Leopards, was axed by head coach Adel Amrouche and was not involved in the selection of the squad that is preparing for the May 18 first-leg of 2015 Afcon preliminary round qualifier against Comoros.

In an unsigned statement dispatched to newsrooms in the evening FKF were categorical that Nandwa should stay on as the second in command to the Belgian.

“Assistant coach James Nandwa will immediately report to the national team training camp in Nairobi contrary to media reports indicating that he has been sacked by head coach Adel Amrouche.

“FKF President Sam Nyamweya clearly stated on Thursday that Nandwa remains the assistant coach, deputizing Amrouche as the national teams embarks on serious preparations for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” the declaration read.

“We are not going to lose our focus on our preparations for the qualifiers due to unnecessary side shows and rumours regarding the composition of the technical bench,” it quoted FKF boss, Sam Nyamweya, as saying.

“Let it be noted by all that it’s FKF that appoints and dismisses members of the technical bench, it’s also the role of the Federation to develop and protect local coaches, Nandwa will continue discharging his duties as assigned by the Federation,” he allegedly added.

Nyamweya also stated they would soon hire a professional Team Manager to bolster the technical bench.

Unsubstantiated claims say Nandwa fell foul of his boss for ‘abandoning’ the national side when he was at the helm of Leopards before his eight-month reign was brought to an end at the KPL giants last month.

The fallen Ingwe coach is said to enjoy good ratings with the FKF boss who brooks no dissent.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 8 – Despite missing “King David” the Kenyan charge in Doha are raring to jet-heel to victory at the opening IAAF Diamond League meeting in Qatar.

Olympics champion and record holder, David Rudisha’s anticipated return to action after almost a year out in Doha in the men’s 800m was cut short by a calf strain last week but that does not dim the country’s top talent that is out to lay a marker at the start of the international outdoor season.

The flamboyant and charismatic Olympics and three-time world men 3,000m steeplechase champion, Ezekiel Kemboi, two-time world titleholder in men 1,500m, Asbel Kiprop and reigning women’s 800m Worlds gold medallist, Eunice Sum, front the queue for Kenya at the star-studded Qatar showdown.

Also in Doha is the women 5,000m worlds silver medallist, Mercy Cherono, the Beijing Olympics and Osaka men 3,000m steeplechase winner, Brimin Kipruto, Commonwealth 1,500m gold winner, Silas Kiplagat and two-time World Junior crown holder and national women 1,500m record holder, Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon among others.

Kemboi, the Olympic steeplechase champion in 2004 and 2012, is relishing a return to the Qatar Sports Club track.

“I always do well in Doha,” said the exuberant Kenyan on Thursday. “I won here in 2009 and then wound up winning almost all of my races that season.”

Kemboi clocked 7:58.85 that year, the second-fastest performance of his career. He’s confident that he can go faster at some point this season.

Kiprop will seek a second consecutive victory at the Qatar Sports Club, but he is expecting anything but an easy race.

“The track in Doha is fast, the level of competition is very high and the conditions are always good,” said the 24-year-old Kiprop, who also took the Olympic gold in 2008.

“It is no surprise that you get fast times here. It’s a good opportunity for athletes to gauge themselves and to look forward to opening their season in a good way. There are many strong athletes here and I do not underestimate anyone.”

His compatriot Eunice Sum, a surprise winner of the 800m title in Moscow last year, is also looking forward to the start of her first full IAAF Diamond League campaign.

In terms of targets, Sum says her first goal is to run a personal best, which will mean getting inside the 1:57.38 that brought her gold in the Russian capital last summer.

“And to educate myself in Diamond League races,” she promised.

Rudisha is scheduled to return to action at the May 31 Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9 – Kenya are raring to sign off what has been an underwhelming 2013/14 HSBC World Sevens Series in London and finish as high as possible in readiness for a better stab next season.

Unlike last season when France based William Ambaka was nominated no Kenyan has been short-listed for the 2014 International Rugby Board Sevens Player of the Year Award.

This year’s accolade will see South Africa’s Kyle Brown, Tim Mikkelson from New Zealand, England’s Tom Mitchell and season’s top try scorer Samisoni Viriviri from Fiji battle for the honour.

Shujaa have lacked consistency this season under head coach Paul Treu finding it challenge for top honours while struggling to replace the likes of veteran Humphrey Kayange and Ambaka who scored eight tries this year to help his club Lyon win promotion to France’s top 14.

After reaching a Plate final for the second time this season to collect 12 points- his highest, Treu will be looking to improve and finish on a high when they take on USA, Samoa and Glasgow Main Cup finalist Canada in a tricky Pool B.

Once again the South African will be banking on Kayange whom he recalled with the experienced fly-half lifting his side after combining well with his younger brother Collins Injera to score four tries in Scotland.

However, it will not be easy to squeeze through to the Main Cup since all teams in the Pool are equal to the task after managing to beat Kenya and it will be upon the South African to improve from the eighth round performance where he only won two games.

Treu, who has not made any changes from Glasgow squad, will open with 13th placed USA at 11:22 am local time (+3GMT) in a clash set to be relatively easy for Shujaa since the latter has won 16 out of 25 encounters.

Both sides last meet in Gold Coast at the season opener with Kenya emerging victorious with a 31-5 thrashing.

They will then take on Samoa at 2:28pm, a team sitting one position below them in a tie they will be looking to win and enhance their chances of progressing to their six Cup last eight.

With only three points separating the two, the encounter is expected to be a closely contested affair as both sides seeks to finish in a respectable position.

Unlike Kenya, Samoa head coach Viliamu Punivalu has made two changes with Fautua Otto replacing Oneone Faafou who suffered a knock and Vavao Afemai coming in for Sani Niue.

But it will be Treu troops who have an up hill task because Samoa will be going to the match with their heads high after dominating the head to head record, having won 27 in 30 meeting with the latest being at Wellington 7s where they won 24-12.

Kenya will round up her preliminary match with Canada at 5.54pm; a team that shattered their first Main Cup semi-final reach this season in Glasgow 7s following their 14-5 win.

The Canadian who have won 15 out of their 24 will hope to continue with the good form they posted in Scotland after reaching their first Cup final this season where they lost 54-7 to Series defending champion New Zealand.

All eyes will be on Treu who failed to hit his Cup last four target in Glasgow 7s as the team seeks to end the season of a high in the ninth and final round at Twickenham after experiencing a lukewarm and disappointing season.

At the moment the team is still struggling to adapt his contact style of play in contrast to the opening game they were used to.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9- It has emerged Kenyan footballers and their coaches smoke bhang in mistaken belief it enhances performances while local rugby is also affected by substance abuse.

For long, doping has been almost solely associated with athletics but Probe Committee inquest to the vice under the chairmanship of Prof. Moni Wekesa, has asked the Government to stem the vice.

“After the three months work across the country, we found out that rugby players have been using food supplements laced with banned substances. It is normal in their practice,” he said.

“We talked to a number of footballers and were shocked that most of them take bhang (Cannabis Sativa). It is not just the players but coaches as well. There are no strong structures and information to address the vice. It is why we have no tests carried out on these players and they easily get away with it,” he said.

Sports Minister Hassan Wario appointed the committee in November to carry out investigation after World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said the vice is widespread in Kenya.

“We will implement the report as soon as possible. I want there to be broader awareness in sports circles. Reports that our athletes were using drugs were beginning to paint the country negatively. This will help us deal with this matter,” he said.

Wada officials came to Kenya to try to speed up investigations into doping. They met Hassan Wario, and the members of a 12-member special taskforce that was appointed by the government to investigate allegations of widespread doping among Kenyan athletes.

The taskforce submitted their report to the government on Thursday. Wekesa also revealed that the committee widened their scope to focus on football and rugby together with athletics so as to get to the bottom of the problem.

Only one Kenyan footballer Philip Opiyo has been banned for taking bhang. This was in 2006 when he was playing in South Africa.

The committee said Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) officials admitted to giving national team players food supplements laced with banned substances.

Kenya Sevens team is currently in London for the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Series this weekend.

“KRU officials were co-operative and agreed to stop it. They even handed over the supplements and we plan to destroy the same,” said Wekesa.

The task force however, found leniency with track and field, the country’s golden goose in international championships.

“Track and field athletes caught in the vice did not do it deliberately. Some were sick and took medicine, which ended up being laced with banned substance. However, there are some who did it deliberately,” said Wekesa. Since 2009, Kenya has had 32 athletes banned.

Back in 2004, Kenya’s David Munyasia, a boxer, was the first athlete to be found in violation of International Olympic Committee anti-doping rules at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

The IOC announced that Munyasia, a bantamweight, had tested positive for cathine on Aug. 6.

Four times the allowed limit of 5 micrograms per millilitre was found to be present in Munyasia’s urine. He was immediately barred from participating in the Games.

Munyasia confessed he was regular user of Miraa (khat), a popular stimulant in Kenya.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 28 – “I had to get unfit for the First Lady to be fit!” was how former world marathon champion, Douglas Wakiihuri laughed off his latest achievement in a stellar career, crafting the history making London Marathon finish by First Lady Ms Margaret Kenyatta last month.

While the spouse of President Uhuru Kenyatta received worldwide acclaim and acres of newspaper space and airtime on local media outlets, Wakiihuri, 50, receded to the background as he embarked on one of the most difficult jobs in the sport.

On April 13, he was able to add another feather in his glittering cap in the sport when Ms Kenyatta crossed the line to become the first holder of her office in the world to complete the classic 42.195km distance in London.

His list of pioneer achievements is staggering; first Kenyan to win the world marathon title (1987) a record that remained for 20 years, first Kenyan winner of the London Marathon (1989), first Kenyan winner of the New York Marathon (1990), first Kenyan Commonwealth marathon champion (1990) and first Kenyan Olympics marathon medallist in 1988 (silver).

Of course, he was also the first Kenyan runner to feature in a television advert when he endorsed the Nissan Sahara pick-up in the early 90s as well as dropping a few musical albums.

Never afraid to sail uncharted waters, Wakiihuri took up a job that few would have cherished, that of coaching a soon to turn 50 year-old woman with no prior athletics experience and turn her into a finisher of the toughest race on earth in less than six months.

And this was no ordinary lady; it was none other than the titular mother of the nation who came along with a group of aides and security staff who also had to get fit and run the distance alongside their boss.

Personally, it also gave him a chance to return to the course he conquered 25 years earlier not to compete as a Masters runner but to ensure his athlete got to the line, slow stride by slow stride, an arduous task for someone used to run hard even at 50.

The start

When Ms Kenyatta’s Communications boss, Maina Kigaga, through aides reached out to the retired legend with the job proposal last October, Wakiihuri weighed the gravity of the tough job ahead but his reputed urge to make history soon drove him to accept.

“At first I could not believe they had settled on me, we have many coaches in this country and when they told me what they wanted, I had to draw a unique programme since this was a first time runner and the sensitive nature of her position,” Wakiihuri told Capital Sport.

After months of meticulous preparations Ms Kenyatta crossed the finish line in 7:05:38 to crown what captured the hearts of many locally and abroad as she chose to use Kenya’s best sporting export to raise awareness and funds for her ‘Beyond Zero’ campaign to support maternal health care by stocking all 47 counties in the country with mobile clinics.

“Indeed, she went beyond zero to achieve her objective. She was very driven and motivated and as her coach, I’m proud to have been involved in her noble charity work. It is not easy even for an elite runner to prepare for the marathon, let alone a lady approaching 50,” Wakiihuri enthused.

“For that sacrifice I ran the slowest marathon in my life which was an experience I never thought I will do but all in all, my main aim was to see the team cross the finishing line unlike seeing an experienced athlete trying to get the job done.

“I never thought I will go back to London not to compete but to run for fan,” the 50 year-old legend added.

The First Lady is seeking Sh500m (USD 5,753,742m) to fund the initiative that seeks to end maternal and infant mortality in the country.

“It’s one of the rare dreams that any athlete could have and through what I have been doing in marathons it’s was an opportunity that came along and I took it whole heartedly.

“I remember when we started one kilometre was a very long journey where we used to cover in 45 minutes but eventually we improved.

“This enabled her run the half marathon on March 9 and that was the main break through since it was the first time she was running, she opted to try it and she did it in 3:35:00,” Wakiihuri narrated.

“At that point we had done 95Km in training when we went for Sagana for one week camp,” the 1990 New York champion explained.

He was referring to inaugural the First Lady Half Marathon that ran in Nairobi on March 9 where amid tight security and chaos at the end when she was joined by the Head of State, Ms Kenyatta covered the 21km course borrowed from the Sotokoto Nairobi International Marathon that Wakiihuri is the Race Director.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9- Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has termed the report presented by the Government Probe Committee on doping as baseless for claiming substance abuse was rampart in their sport.

The findings presented by the Prof. Moni Wekesa led committee to Cabinet Secretary in charge of sports, Dr. Hassan Wario; alleged supplements with banned substances were widely used by rugby players in the country.

In a swift response KRU chairman, Mwangi Muthee, rubbished the report maintaining it was the wrong way to deal with the threat of drug abuse in the country by sportspersons.

The Union boss further held the Probe Committee that was appointed in November following the directive by World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) for Kenya to investigate the rise in positive drug tests in athletics failed to execute its mandate.

“They failed to assist sports associations with facts from doctors and scientific laboratory operators and instead willingly or unwittingly caused their comments to be published in a very casual manner in the media,” Muthee charged.

He dismissed claims by Wekesa that rugby players were not being tested by pointing out the national sevens team that is currently in London for example was subjected to continuous testing at the annual HSBC World Sevens Series that has nine events.

“Like all top class rugby players, or general sportsmen in the world — and Prof Wekesa knows this — our squads use approved food supplements and not drugs.

“Voluntarily, the KRU handed for testing to Prof Wekesa’s committee samples of the food supplements used by the squads.

“What we should be receiving back is the transparent reports on the findings of identified authentic doctors and testing laboratories, to say specifically what banned substances were found in the food supplements,” Muthee said.

“The supplements are manufactured by a South African company of world repute – Evox Advanced Nutrition – and if found illegal, with all the evidence, Prof Wekesa’s committee should be assisting the KRU to seek answers from the manufacturers.

“We would also expect the onus to be on Prof Wekesa’s committee to point a finger to the suppliers doing illegal business in the country and for Government to close down and punish them. KRU does not condone illegal drug use and will not defend anyone doing so,” the rugby boss added in his riposte to the findings.

“KRU officials were co-operative and agreed to stop it. They even handed over the supplements and we plan to destroy the same,” Wekesa said of rugby in his report.

“Now, that is sensationally untrue and quite outrageous and it is incredible to think that the Committee actually said this. It is simply erroneous.

“The KRU has its Medical Advisors and it is only they who can rebut the purported accusations of rugby using banned substances.

“To get to the bottom of the matter, there must be honest back and forth communication between Prof Wekesa’s committee and sports associations backed with medical and scientific findings from bona fide practitioners,” Muthee maintained.

In pointing out other sporting giants did not rush to blacklist their exponents before exhaustive probes, Muthee called on the anti-doping effort to desist from blanket statements that could harm the sport.

“We would like it to be the same in our country. Causing blanket suspicion should not be the way to conduct business by any authority entrusted with a genuine fight against banned substances,” he added.

Wekesa’s report stated rugby and football were the disciplines where banned substance use was common while absolving that led to the Wada directive with 17 positive tests in 12 months from culpability.

Wario promised to act on the findings.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9- Worlds 1500m bronze winner, Hellen Obiri, uncorked a storming African, Diamond League, meet and national record as well as the fifth fastest mark of all time in the women 3000m of 8:20.68 to give Kenyans a memorable night to behold during Friday’s star-studded opening 2014 IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha.

Olympic and world champion, Ezekiel Kemboi, dazzled the crowd with his showmanship whilst leading eight compatriots to the line in the men’s steeple while world champions, Eunice Sum and Asbel Kiprop chalked resounding victories in the women 800m and men 1500m races at the glittering Qatar Sports Complex.

Deploying his long strides in fantastic fashion, Kiprop, 24, earned sweet revenge over London 2012 winner, Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria with the added gloss of penning his name in record books as the first six finishers crossed the line in under 3:31 for the first time in history in a world leading 3:29.18.

Obiri blasts to history books

With glittering performances from the star-studded global cast on the track and field, World Indoors silver medallist Obiri stole the thunder and stormed to record books when she caused a huge upset in motoring to a sensational victory in the women 3000m to fittingly crown the action packed programme.

Billed as a procession for Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba; the bristling talent that set three world indoor records before beating Obiri to gold at the Poland World Indoors in March, the winner and compatriot Mercy Cherono eased past the favourite with 300m to go and revved up the afterburners in an internal mad dash for the line.

The vastly experienced Obiri pulled away from the Worlds 5000m silver medallist over the last 50m to stop the clock at the astonishing 8:20.68 as Cherono took the pride of second in 8:21.14, a huge PB.

Two-time World Junior gold medallist and Africa Cross senior women champion, Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon continued her roaring introduction to senior racing with another lifetime best of 8:23.55 to seal the podium sweep for her nation in a race where a jaw-dropping 14 athletes ran lifetime bests!

Despairing Genzebe who lead from three laps to go, fizzled out to finish sixth in 8:26.21, as she became the biggest scalp in Doha.

Immediately after the race, an ecstatic Noah Ngeny, the Sydney 2000 Olympics winner and coach to Obiri told Capital Sport that the 25 year-old Kenya Defence Forces athlete would go on to break the world record in the seven and a half lap distance.

“Obiri is just phenomenal and that was just a demonstration of what she is capable of. It’s still May and I believe she will set the world record sooner of later.

“The 3000m is really her event although she does well in 5000m and 1500m, what we saw tonight (Friday) is a result of the focus we have placed on her training,” Ngeny gushed.

“There is no secret about her rise. Hellen has been doing so well in training and following all what she is being asked to do. That is the secret, the focus on training. She will certainly be the top female track athlete in her event in the next two years, watch out!” he added on the Pace Management runner.

Resurgent former World Junior champion, Viola Kibiwott made it a Kenyan 1 to 4 in 8:24.41 to round off a good evening’s work as World Indoors finalist, Irene Jelagat, fell off the pace to finish seventh in 8:28.51.

Obiri, Chepng’etich, Cherono and Jelagat are in the country’s team for the inaugural IAAF World Relay Championships in Bahamas with the squad keen on shattering their own world record* of 17:05.8 they set at the April 26 National Trials in Nairobi.

Her record-setting victory earned her four Diamond Race points to take the early initiative as Obiri put together a mirror performance of her astonishing victory over Genzebe’s compatriot, Meseret Defar, at the 2012 World Indoors Championships in Istanbul that snapped a four-title winning streak and catapulted her to global notice.

The race started at world record pace before as expected, Genzebe went out ahead with 1200m to go but Obiri and Cherono had other ideas after keeping close to the frontrunner and sensing she was running out of gas, they seized the moment to overtake her on the outside before pressing down the pedal to chase and ultimately land the glory.

Chinese athletes led by world record holder, Wang Junxia (8:06.11), Qu Yunxia (8:12.18), Zhang Linli (8:16.50) and Ma Liyan (8:19.78) from their country’s National Games of 1993 in Beijing are ahead of Obiri in the all-time list and 12 years have elapsed since the athlete whom she replaced as No 5, Romanian legend, Gabriella Szabo, ran the European record of 8:21.42 at the 2002 Herculis meet in Monaco.

Kemboi seals it with a jig

Two-time Olympics and three-time Worlds men 3000m steeplechase king, Ezekiel Kemboi, trounced a deep field in ‘Kenya’s Race’ where the country’s athletes occupied the top eight positions behind his 2014 best of 8:04.12.

Once again, the Athens and London Olympics gold medallist proved to be the tactical master over his local rivals as he broke away with 250m to go, sailed over the final water jump before beginning his victory celebrations after clearing the last barrier on the homestretch.

Waving his arms to wide acclaim from the crowd, Kemboi soon realised Brimin Kipruto, the man he supplanted as Olympics and Worlds titleholder and circuit speedster, Paul Kipsiele Koech were breathing down his neck.

He responded by nonchalantly shifting another gear to pull away and clinch the bragging rights as the steeple king before launching into another of his amusing jigs.

Kipruto (8:04.64) and Kipsiele (8:05.47) shared the podium with the man who notched his third victory in Doha as he had promised on Wednesday.

Jairus Kipchoge (8:07.37), Hillary Kipsang (8:09.07), Gilbert Kiplangat (8:11.86), Olympics bronze medallist and African champion, Abel Mutai (8:17.77) and Bernard Mbugua (8:23.41) rounded off the top eight for Kenya in the very definition of total dominance.