NAIROBI, Kenya, September 3- The two official fastest marathoners of all-time, Olympic bronze winner, Wilson Kipsang and world record holder, Patrick Makau are seeking to team-up and lower the 2:03:38 standard when they line up for the Berlin Marathon on September 29.

The Kenyan roadrunners will meet for the first time despite having set fast times in different Germany cities two years ago.

Makau clocked 2:03.38 to set the new world marathon record in Berlin in 2011 and three weeks later compatriot Kipsang failed to cut down the record by a time of 2:03.42 in Frankfurt.

And as the duo prepare for Berlin clash in about three weeks, Kipsang was categorical that the world record will be under spotlight again.

“I can’t say how low we intend to reduce the world record,” Kipsang said on Monday in Iten in northwest Kenya. “However, if the weather and other factors remain constant, running under the 2: 03 mark is very much possible.”

“I have no idea if it will be me or Makau, but both of us are fast runners and we are on the comeback of sorts. The pace makers also have to do their part, but even if we fail to run under the 2: 03 mark, it will not take long before somebody does that. It is becoming competitive.”

Kipsang has since asked the Berlin marathon organizers to provide him with fast pave makers and he will be carrying along one of his trusted partners to steer him through the distance.

“I have secured permission to have my training mate Edwin Kiptoo run in Berlin. He will help me a lot. He will be a pace maker and he has been permitted to run as far as possible. So we will see how the body responds and then decide if going for the record is attainable,” he added.

It was in Berlin that Makau set the current world record of 2: 03:38 in 2011, with Kipsang running his 2:03:42 in Frankfurt.

Kipsang has had the superior resume since then. He won the 2012 London Marathon in 2:04:44, becoming the second person, after Haile Gebrselassie, to run three marathons under 2:05.

At the Olympic Marathon in London, Kipsang clinched bronze medal in a race won by Uganda’s Timothy Kiprotich. After the 2012 New York City Marathon was cancelled, Kipsang won December’s Honolulu Marathon.

He returned to Manhattan in March this year to win the New York Half marathon and was then fifth in the London Marathon in 2:07:47.

“I went slowly this year. I wanted to prepare well for Berlin and the allure of a possible world record did influence that decision to run sparingly,” said Kipsang.

Makau, meanwhile, dropped out of the 2012 London Marathon and was not selected for the Kenyan Olympic team. He took first place at Frankfurt last fall in 2:06:08, but was out of the top ten in London this past April, finishing in 2:14:10.

The women’s field in Berlin will also include Irina Mikitenko, who set the German national record of 2:19:19 in Berlin in 2008, American Olympian Desiree Davila and Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat, who won Berlin in 2009 in 2:19:44 and became a world champion in cross country in 2009 and in the half-marathon in 2010.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 3- The abandoned Kenyan Premier League (KPL) tie between Sony Sugar and Gor Mahia will be replayed on September 18 at Nakuru’s Afraha Stadium.

According to communication from the KPL, both clubs have been exonerated from blame for causing the calling off of the tempestuous fixture that saw fans invade the pitch following the controversial awarding of a Gor equaliser on 84 minutes.

“We are in receipt of the match officials reports on the above match that was stopped in the 84th minute due to the collapse of the perimeter fence and hence the safety of the players, technical bench and match officials was threatened.

“In accordance to the Rules of Kenyan Football, Rule 3.4 on Responsibilities of clubs and Rule 3.7 on abandoned matches, the match reports exonerates both teams from causing the abandonment.

“However, the match reports do confirm that the players were ready to resume play but due to the collapsed perimeter fence which enabled so many spectators of both sides inside the playing area, posing serious security risk to the playing units, match officials and technical benches, the match officials resolved to call off the match,” a letter signed by KPL CEO, Jack Oguda, addressed to the secretaries of Sony and Gor stated.

“We therefore order for a replay of the entire match to be played at Afraha Stadium, Nakuru on Wednesday, September 18 starting at 3:00pm and KPL will take control of the match arrangements.

“Further to the above, it is noted from the match reports there were incidences of misconduct and assault against the 1st Assistant Referee by Sony Sugar official and player, which will be forwarded to the Independent Disciplinary and Complaints Committee (IDCC) for appropriate disciplinary action,” Oguda’s missive added.

Sony goal keeper, William Kasaya, was accused of accosting the lineman who awarded the goal after a David Owino shot cannoned off the crossbar as Gor came behind twice to level the match.

SULULTA, Addis Ababa, September 4 – On a cold and wet morning in the lush green hills high above Addis Ababa, Ethiopian track star Kenenisa Bekele circles a brick red track, slowly, steadily rebuilding his strength.

His muscular legs hit the ground in a quick rhythm. The only noise in the serene silence is his breath, piercing through the thin air 2,700 metres (9,000 feet) above sea level.

The world-record holder in 5,000 and 10,000 metres and triple Olympic champion, who has suffered from a calf injury for three years, is running at the centre he opened late last year to improve training conditions for Ethiopia’s renowned runners.

Now he is looking to attract foreign athletes too, transforming his camp in Sululta into what he hopes will be a world-class training centre.

“We are inviting athletes, we want to have other international athletes from all over the world, so we want to be part of training centres of the world,” he told AFP, speaking after a training session on the track, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the capital.

He says the new training centre was initially set up because there were no adequate tracks in the country, but was now also welcoming professional distance runners eager to train in the ideal climate and altitude of the Ethiopian highlands.

Bekele is also hoping to attract running enthusiasts of all levels, finding a new way of marketing Ethiopia as a tourist destination and tapping into a growing market of ‘hobby joggers’ the world over who are eager to rub shoulders with east Africa’s elite.

The size of the potential market related to the current running boom is certainly huge, with major big city marathons like London, New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo systematically selling out their tens of thousands of places within hours.

– Keeping up with the Kenyans –

It’s also a market that neighbouring Kenya, the other distance-running giant and Ethiopia’s arch rival, is already tapping into.

In the Kenyan Rift Valley town of Iten, elite runner Lornah Kiplagat has opened a High Altitude Training Centre, offering the austere eat-sleep-run regimen and a diet of thin air, endurance boosting hills and simple, unprocessed organic food to a growing number of elites and enthusiasts.

Bekele hopes Sululta will be the next Iten, and has already hosted several international track runners, including Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi, the 2012 Olympic 1500m champion, and Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki and Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman – both 800m specialists.

It is Ethiopia’s second training camp, though Yaya Running Village on the outskirts of Addis Ababa — sponsored by fellow Ethiopian distance legend Haile Gebreselassie — lacks a track.

Bekele’s facility has one of only two world-class tracks in Ethiopia. The other, in the congested and dusty capital, was only recently refitted with a suitable track for long distance training.

Bekele had long complained the old track was too hard and likely worsened his stubborn calf injury, which has stilted his performance in recent years.

Bekele won gold in the 10,000 metres in Athens, and followed up with the 5,000m and 10,000m double in Beijing in 2008. But since then he has been beset by injury, finishing 4th in the London Olympics and missing out on the Moscow World Championships in August.

“Every time we go over that track, (we were) getting injury. It’s very strong, it’s not good for muscle,” he said.

“It’s a big challenge for me… not only me, many athletes have injury over that track,” the 31-year-old runner added.

Today, he is looking to regain his past fitness, training twice daily ahead of this month’s Great North Race, where he will face Gebreselassie and Britain’s Mo Farah.

– Training with a legend –

The centre is part of Bekele’s steadily growing business empire. In addition to a cinema and real estate in central Ethiopia, his first hotel opened in August on one of Addis Ababa’s cramped thoroughfares.

Bekele said that in addition to boosting tourism he is keen to invest to spur industry and create jobs, leaving a lasting legacy once his legs can no longer perform on the track.

“If I get more money, if I have that money in my pocket, if I’m not spending to create jobs, if I am not sharing with other people, it’s no sense,” he said.

Today, near the existing 17-room hotel neighbouring the track, the outlines of Bekele’s planned expansion stand tall.

It is the site of a new 100-room lodge, which will boast two swimming pools, a gym and basketball and tennis courts. He is also planning for a nine-hole golf course nearby.

Bekele said he wants to boost his business with these extra offers and hopes that, combined with the centre’s close proximity to Addis Ababa, its safe environment and clean air, Sululta will become a top international sports destination.

Plus, he jokes, his own experience comes with the centre — a chance for aspiring runners to be trained by a living legend.

“I will give my experience, I will share my experience,” he laughs, exposing his characteristic toothy smile.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 4- Revered Nigerian literal icon, Chinua Achebe, would have no trouble finding his inspiration to pen his blockbuster novel Things Fall Apart the set book staple for many schools across Africa, if he paid a visit to the nerve centre of Athletics Kenya (AK), Riadha House, located at Nairobi’s Aerodrome Road, today.

In what echoes of his legendary portrayal of a once vibrant African society in the fictional village of Umuofia that went bust due to effects of colonialism through the eyes of wrestling champion and leader, Okwonkwo, Operations at AK are grinding to a complete halt following the protracted feuding among its leadership pitting long-serving chairman, Isaiah Kiplagat (shall we say Okwonkwo) and fellow elected officials pushing for his downfall.

Staff at one of the richest sports governing body in the country, among them the new CEO, Isaac Mwangi as well as the Marketing and Communications Manager, Simon Wekesa, are not sure where their August payment will come from since the three signatories to the federation coffers are pulling in different directions.

Small logistics like printing of papers at the federations’ Riadha House headquarters cannot be provided with athletes who are seeking clearance to compete abroad likely to be affected in due course if the impasse is not resolved soon.

Besides Kiplagat, first vice-president, David Okeyo, who is in charge of competitions and administration as well as the Treasurer, David Miano, are the signatories to the federation accounts with the latter two in a camp opposed to the president’s administration.

Matters reached a head on Wednesday when a Council meeting convened by Kiplagat that was supposed to bring together all National Executive Committee (NEC) and other officials from the affiliates to address the stand-off that has been simmering for three weeks was boycotted by the group against the President who convened a parallel gathering in Nakuru.

The besieged Kiplagat and his supporters addressed the press in the afternoon where the meeting changed cognisance into a ‘consultative meeting.’

“Let me make it very clear, we are not objecting to any Special General Meeting (SGM). We want to follow the process. If anybody wants the SGM, if they follow what the constitution says, we shall convene it tomorrow.

“We are giving them seven days for them to give us what they want. If we set a precedent and allow the law of the jungle to take place, the following day, another group will say we want to remove those who will be there, so it will be a chain reaction.

“We do not want to bring this institution to ridicule. We have built it from zero and personally, I can pride myself that during my time, we have done what we have done. Those who are making noise out there let them come and say what they have done and I will tell them what I have done,” the tough-talking AK boss said, betraying little of the strain the sustained siege on his 21 year tenure has had on him.

In a statement signed by 21 NEC and branch officials who convened in Nakuru, his detractors called Kiplagat’s bluff stressing they were within their rights to press ahead with their quest to amend the new AK constitution they say arrogates sweeping powers to the chair at the expense of fellow elected members.

“The AK affiliates will go ahead and hold a SGM with our without the AK national office convening it. The regional/institutional chairmen will not be attending the so called consultative meeting called by the AK president as they still demand for a SGM.

“The AK affiliates will meet at the expiry of the demand notice on September 13 (next Friday) to fix the date for the SGM, if the AK president refuses to heed the demands of the affiliates who elected him to office.

“The agenda of the SGM remains the same as given in the demand notice which was issued on August 23, to discuss the AK constitution. The affiliates will inform the government of the ongoing in the AK leadership,” the brief that was signed by among others, Okeyo and Miano, two of the signatories of the federation monies read.

“We don’t fight, we are asking them to come and reason together. We do not want to retaliate or take any disciplinary action on anyone. People call us the richest; people call us vibrant because we have taken care of our resources.

“My concern is, if we scare the sponsors and they all go because there is fighting in the federation, they will stay away. We have been so smooth, we have done the best we could and we shall continue doing that,” Kiplagat added while dismissing the fall-out as an all out battle for supremacy.

“Everybody is resisting chance. Resistance to change is what is the problem and if you resist change, you can bring the institution down,” the boss stated as the source of the latest bickering after he went ahead to hire technocrats to conduct duties that were a reserve of elected officials in the past.

“Why is he resisting the SGM if he is claiming to uphold the constitution? It’s because he knows that something he has done is not right and this is what we want to address,” the Nyanza South AK chairman and former AK relations officer, Peter Angwenyi, a signatory of the Nakuru declaration said.

In echoing his remarks, Eastern Branch boss, Joseph Kinyua, the immediate former national Treasurer whose ouster is cited by Kiplagat as one of the catalysts for the rebellion added the federation will crumble if the ongoing impasse is not resolved.

“I’m not interested in any role at the federation but it is clear it is split. The chairman should take responsibility and listen to those who are raising issues otherwise, all what we have worked for in the past two decades will fall,” he added.

Kiplagat went to great lengths to show the media offices reserved for elected officials in an attempt to prove that they had not been asked to vacate their offices as claimed while also presenting a raft of documents including minutes to tendering and constitutional committees where some of his opponents sat to show they were all in agreement on the proposed amendments of the governing structure.

The appointments of Mwangi and Wekesa as well as the proposed hiring of a finance officer are among the contentious issues elected officials who ran their functions are against saying the manner they were carried out did not follow an all inclusive process in light of their huge pay perks said to be in the region of Sh250,000 per month and thereabouts.

However, the breakdown of the printer at his secretary’s office with no money to buy the required toner to operate it was a poignant pointer of how far the decline at one of the shining examples of local sports management has sunk in recent times.

With ghosts of changing the existing order echoing the ill-effects of colonialism in Umuofia, things are surely falling apart.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 6- The most expensive footballer in Kenyan history, Victor Wanyama, arrived in the country on Thursday morning to take his place in the national team Harambee Stars squad for their 2014 World Cup qualifier against Namibia.

Wanyama who moved from Scottish league champions Glasgow Celtic to English premiership side, Southampton in a 12.5-million-pound deal in August, went straight to the team’s camp at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani upon landing.

His arrival completed the 27-man contingent listed to participate in the academic qualifier with Kenya and Namibia already out of the running to feature in Brazil next year.

“Having him in the team is a good boost for us and a statement that the game is important despite the fact that we are out of the competition to feature in the World Cup,” head coach, Adel Amrouche, said while welcoming the combative midfielder and his captain to the squad.

“It shows that even the biggest players in the country value their team and this will serve to motivate younger players in the team and those looking forward to play in it in the future when they see a player like Victor with them.”

Wanyama who has featured for Southampton in all the three matches they have played this season, joined the rest of the foreign-based legion led by his predecessor as Stars captain and French Ligue 1, AJ Ajaccio striker Dennis Oliech and Jamal Mohammed, who turns out for Al Nasr-Oman.

Meanwhile, Namibia arrived in Nairobi on Thursday morning for the tie but will be missing their regular skipper Da Costa Angula when they take on Kenya on Sunday in Nairobi.

The defender picked an abdominal muscle strain in training and was ruled out of the match with Namibia’s head Coach Ricardo Mannetti saying his team would be able to cope without the services of their leader.

Namibia and Kenya trail Group F of the CAF qualifiers with 4 and 3 points in that order with Nigeria (9) and Malawi (6) who will clash at the home of the reigning Africa champions topping the standings.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 6- Following the triumphs of world champion Eunice Sum and silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto in Zurich last week, top Kenyan runners are ready to bag more Diamond League trophies in Brussels on Friday.

Sum once again stunned Russian Olympic champion Mariya Saminova to bag the women’s 800m Diamond crown before compatriot Kipruto added the men’s 3,000m steeple title.

In Brussels, Kenya will focus on the women’s 3,000m steeple where the top two medallists from the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Milcah Chemos and Lydia Chepkurui, will go ahead.

Both have 12 points at the top of the grid and a win for either will secure them the Diamond Trophy.

While Chepkurui has not competed since winning silver at her first Worlds in Moscow where she clocked a career best 9:12.55, Chemos fell to surprise defeat in Zagreb (Sep. 3) at the hands of Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew (9:28.72 against 9:29.16) as the first-time world titleholder stuttered to a first loss in seven outings over the distance and the only second reverse this season.

Lurking in the shadows of the Kenyan favourites is another Ethiopian, Sofia Assefa, the bronze winner from Moscow who stands to steal the Diamond Trophy if she wins and Chemos or Chepkurui finish outside the top-two.

Assefa is still smarting from a fall in the last lap of the Worlds medal race that gave the Kenyans a clear run for the first two podium positions.

After falling to Britain’s double world champion, Mo Farah, in Moscow men 5000m bronze medallist, Isaiah Kiplangat was understandably upset when Kenyan team tactics that would have ended with his possible assault for gold crumbled.

In Zurich and unshackled from team requirements, Kiplangat, can go flat out for victory that depending on how Ethiopia’s frontrunners at the event, Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yenew Alamirew fare, could retain the Diamond Trophy he won last season.

Compatriot and world leader Edwin Soi, Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Galen Rupp (USA) and 2007 World champion Bernard Lagat (USA) are other top ten finishers from Moscow raring to give it a go.

In the women 1500m, Worlds bronze winner, Helen Obiri, is targeting to upset the cart and hand Sweden’s Ethiopian Moscow winner, Abeba Aregawi and America’s Jenny Simpson, the two women who led her to the podium, what would be a shocking victory.

Aregawi has already wrapped up the Diamond race but the quality in the field guarantees a thrilling prospect to mirror the final in Russia.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 6- The new Kenya national rugby sevens coach will be unveiled in the week of Sept. 23, the domestic union chairman, Mwangi Muthee confirmed on Friday.

Fresh reports had indicated that Paul Treu, the man tipped to be announced to the position who was the South Africa head coach until July, would be formally named Friday.

But Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) boss said they had pushed back the announcement to allow the conclusion of the domestic sevens series this weekend as well as the annual Safari Sevens international invitational tournament that is scheduled for Sep. 21 and 22.

“We will formally introduce our new coach after the Safari Sevens. We were not ready to name him and we want to give our national team time to prepare for the Safari sevens under temporally coach, Felix Ochieng.

“Ochieng will continue to be the assistant to the new coach and we have discussed all terms and requirements to bring him here. Unlike Friday, he will be based in Nairobi so that he can coordinate the development of sevens,” the chairman said on Friday.

English born Friday resigned in late July after leading the nation to their second Sevens Rugby World Cup semi-final appearance where Kenya topped Africa by finishing fourth.

Under the former England coach, Kenya got their highest ever tally of 99 points as the country became a major force in the annual IRB World Sevens Series.

Chris Brown, the New Zealand fitness and condition coach brought by Friday also resigned at the same time with the new man at the helm expected to assemble a technical bench mixed with local and foreign coaches.

Despite his wide approval, Friday quit under a cloud with the immediate former coach blaming some board members of the Union for frustrating his programmes.

“The interference from certain individuals have made it impossible for Chris and I to run a professional performance programme. Our view is that they have continually sabotaged and compromised our strategy and planning; this has not been in the best interests of Kenya 7s Rugby.”

“It is clear to me that, throughout the RWC, and subsequently, actions taken by certain individuals in key positions have undermined the squad’s strategy, preparation and ultimately performance. Planning and running a truly professional performance programme is impossible to do with the constant compromises, interference and sabotage that occur,” was his parting shot when he announced his resignation.

The new boss will be tasked with maintain Kenya’s status as one of the core teams or the IRB Series and bag a first ever series win at the annual tour that kicks off in December.

With rugby sevens part of the 2016 Olympics roster, the head coach will also lay a foundation to ensure Kenya qualifies for Rio as a medal prospect with the team keen to break athletics monotony as the country’s only source for medals.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 6- Kenya, which has already been out of the FIFA World Cup qualifying knock-out stage, will take on Group F rival Namibia, which is out either, seriously at home on Sunday.

Led by their captain, Victor Wanyama, the first Kenyan to play in the English Premier League (EPL) and record goal scorer, Dennis Oliech, who plays in France with AJ Ajaccio, all but one of the eight foreign based players are available to face Namibia.

It was expected that Belgian head coach, Adel Amrouche, would use the dead rubber to put out a team that would feature in December’s regional CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup where owing to its timing, most foreign based players are excused from selection but to the surprise of all, he opted to summon all available fire power.

“I decided to call the professional players since my aim is the next Africa Cup and World Cup as coach of Kenya. Cecafa is important but it is not crucial for me. My work is to get the team playing at the top competitions but 80 percent of the Cecafa squad is in this team.

“It was important I get all my best players available so that I can give my team maximum time to be together. There are not many competitions happening between now and the next qualifiers,” Amrouche stated earlier in the week underlining his mission to win the match, “For the 40 million Kenyans.”

With the country’s Football Kenya Federation (FKF) cash-strapped and barely managing to get by, the wisdom of spending a small fortune to pay for air tickets for foreign based stars with a regional tournament to prepare was baffling.

“Due to financial problems, we never get to play in many international games so we must take what we can get until such a time when companies and other donors will realise only proper investment will drive the team forward,” the Belgian national explained.

Trailing Nigeria (9), Malawi (6) and Namibia (4) in Group F, Kenya are yet to win a match in their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign and the home fixture against the Brave Warriors has been penned as the perfect opportunity to end the doomed quest on a high.

“Kenya is out of the competition but we should not give up especially with the match against Namibia, we should use this match to improve ourselves ahead of Cecafa,” FKF President, Sam Nyamweya, who is fighting corruption claims brought forth by his former National Executive Committee members said of the fixture.

Oliech, who was sensationally dropped in Kenya’ s last outing away to Blantyre where they drew 2-2 in July by Amrouche after violating camp rules, is relishing his return to the fold as he joined his team mates in underlining their aim to be victorious.

“It’s all about patriotism and such things happen in football. Its giving your best for your nation, that is the pride of every player and I will play my part on Sunday,” the French Ligue 1 striker who leads his nations’ scoring charts told.

The Brave Warriors who arrived in a delegation of 28 members are however, not in Nairobi for a pleasure trip, also seeking to end their botched World Cup qualification run by completing the double over the team they beat 1-0 in Windhoek on Jun. 9, 2012, in the return fixture.

“Even though we beat Kenya in the last fixture that will have no bearing on the Sunday game. Harambee Stars have a decent squad with quality players and that is what we will consider when playing them on Sunday,” their head coach, Ricardo Mannetti said.

Mannetti will be missing the services of his regular captain Da Costa Angula when they take on Kenya on Sunday in Nairobi with the defender picking an abdominal muscle strain in training.

It will be the fourth time Kenya will clash with Namibia with the visitors leading with two victories to one.

But as the two nations battle in Nairobi, all attention in Group F will be focused on the Nigerian port city of Calabar where Africa champions, the Super Eagles will seal qualification to the knock-out phase with a draw with Kenya vs Namibia providing a footnote.

Following are the squads:

Kenya (all local based unless indicated)

Goalkeepers: Duncan Ochieng (Sofakapa), Wilson Obungu (Bandari(, Fredrick Jerim Onyango (Gor Mahia)

Defenders: David Owino (Gor Mahia), David Ochieng (Tusker), Brian Mandela (Santos/South Africa), Jockins Atudo (Azam FC/Tanzania), Abdallah Juma (AFC Leopards), Aboud Omar (AFC Leopards), Musa Mohammed (Gor Mahia), Mohammed Hassan (Ulinzi Stars).

Midfielders: Anthony Akumu (Gor Mahia), Peter Opiyo (AFC Leopards), Victor Wanyama (Southampton/England), Francis Kahata (Thika United), Peter Opiyo (Tusker FC), Patrick Osiako (Simurq/Azerbijan), David Kingatua (Thika United), Paul Were (AFC Leopards), Edwin Lavatsa (Gor Mahia).

Forwards: Allan Wanga (AFC Leopards), Dennis Oliech (AJ Ajaccio/France), Jesee Were (Tusker FC), Raphael Kiongera (Gor Mahia), Kenneth Wendo (Mathare United), Rodgers Omondi (Talanta FC)

Namibia

Goalkeepers: Efraim Tjihonge (Black Africa), Virgil Vries (Maritzburg United, SA) and Maximillian Mbaeva (African Stars).

Defenders: Larry Horaeb (AmaZulu, SA), Chris Katjiukua (African Stars), Willem Mwedihanga (AmaZulu) Da Costa Angula (Black Africa), Tuhafeni Pekka Hamukwaya (Tigers), Denis Tjetjinda (African Stars) and Freedom Puriza (African Stars).

Midfielders: Denzil Haoseb (Black Africa), Annanias Gebhardt (Tigers), Neville Tjiueza (Tura Magic), Emilio Martin, Petrus Shitembi (University of Pretoria, SA), Willy Stephanus (Black Africa), Riaan Cloete (African Stars), Deon Hotto (African Stars) and Heinrich Isaacks (Maritzburg United, SA).

Strikers: Marko van Wyk (Black Africa), Jerome Louis (Black Africa), Pinehas Jacob, Sadney Urikhob (both AmaZulu, SA) and Roger Katjiteo (Black Africa).

CHICAGO, August 7- The Bank of America Chicago Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, will feature four of the world’s fastest Marathon men and the top two finishers from last year’s women’s race at its 2013 event on 13 October, organisers announced.

Kenya’s Moses Mosop, Dennis Kimetto and Emmanuel Mutai, and Ethiopia’s Ayele Abshero all rank among the top 11 marathon performers in history.

Mosop leads the way as the second fastest marathoner of all-time with a personal best of 2:03:06, followed by Kimetto, who is sixth in the list with 2:04:16, Abshero is seventh with 2:04:23 and Mutai 11th with 2:04:40.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Atsede Baysa and Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo will face one another for the first time since their dramatic sprint finish down Columbus Drive last year. “It will be hard to top last year when the top three men all broke the previous course record and the women’s race was decided by a single second, but this is the field that can do it,” said Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski.

“These athletes are among the most exciting in the sport, not only with their fast times, but with their proven ability to win on the biggest stages in the world. We have two returning champions in Moses from 2011 and Atsede, with her memorable victory last year. They are the ones to beat, but they’ll have their work cut out for them against deep competition.” The men will challenge the Chicago Marathon course record of 2:04:38 set last year by Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede.

Mosop aims to regain his crown

Mosop was the runaway winner at the 2011 Chicago Marathon, setting the then course record 2:05:37.

He missed last year’s race due to his selection for Kenya’s London 2012 Olympic Games team and subsequent injury but he is back to full strength and looking to reclaim his title and course mark.

In his debut at the 2011 Boston Marathon, he was runner-up in what stands as the second fastest performance in history and the world’s fastest debut. “Winning the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon was one of the proudest moments of my career and I look forward to returning to a course and a city that I enjoyed so much,” said Mosop.

“I lost my course record last year to Kebede and I was disappointed that I was not there to defend it. I know the competition will be great once again this year and I’m excited to return to Chicago.” Kimetto arrives as arguably the hottest marathoner in the world. He finished second in his debut at the 2012 BMW Berlin Marathon in 2:04:16, establishing a best for a debut on a record-eligible course.

In February, he won the 2013 Tokyo Marathon in course record time.

Abshero, 22, burst onto the Marathon scene in his first attempt at the distance by winning the 2012 Dubai Marathon in a course record 2:04:23, becoming the fastest ever 21-year-old and the youngest athlete to break 2:05.
Meanwhile, Mutai is the most seasoned marathoner of the group.

He’s the London Marathon course record holder from his 2011 victory in 2:04:40. He’s had four other top five London finishes, was fifth in Chicago in 2008, second at the 2009 IAAF World Championships and runner-up at the 2011 ING New York City Marathon.

Far from a four-person race, the 2013 Chicago Marathon will feature additional contenders from around the world, including last year’s third-place finisher Tilahun Regassa of Ethiopia. He recorded a personal best of 2:05:27 in his Chicago debut, and won the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon by over a minute.

Tadese looking to finally fulfil his promise

Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese is a five-time World champion in the Half Marathon and the World record holder at that distance with 58:23 but has so far failed to fulfil his abundant potential in his three marathons to date.

Another Half Marathon specialist, Ethiopia’s Atsedu Tsegaye, will run his debut marathon in Chicago. His 58:47 at the 2012 Prague Half Marathon ranks him as the fourth fastest performer of all-time.

History’s fifth-fastest half marathoner is also in the field: Kenya’s Sammy Kitwara. He was fourth in his marathon debut last year in Chicago in 2:05:54.

As previously announced, US hopes rest with Dathan Ritzenhein, the third fastest American marathoner of all time with his 2:07:47 performance last year, and two-time Olympian Matt Tegenkamp, who will be making his highly anticipated debut.

The duel between Baysa and Jeptoo at the 2012 Chicago Marathon tied for the closest margin of victory in the history of the women’s competition.

Both athletes sprinted stride-for-stride en route to personal best performances, with Baysa getting the hard-earned win in 2:22:03 to her rival’s 2:22:04. (In 1999, Joyce Chepchumba edged fellow Kenyan Margaret Okayo by the same margin.) In addition to her Chicago crown, Baysa was runner-up in 2010.

Baysa expects another battle with Jeptoo

“After finishing second at the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, it was my goal to come back and win. Last year, I was thrilled to accomplish that dream,” said Baysa. “Rita pushed me to my limit, all the way to the last step, and I’m sure it will be the same again this year. I am training very hard to be at my best in Chicago.”

After coming within one second of victory in Chicago, Jeptoo found redemption six months later at the Boston Marathon when winning by 33 seconds. It was her second Boston title, which came an impressive seven years after her first in 2006.

Out to prevent a repeat one-two finish by Baysa and Jeptoo is a diverse international field, including Kenya’s Jemima Sumgong, the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon champion in a personal best of 2:23:27.

Another returner is Russia’s Maria Konovalova, the third-place finisher from 2010 with a best of 2:23:50.
Sixth last year, Japan’s Yukiko Akaba brings a strong resume to Chicago, which includes a 2:24:09 personal best, a victory at the 2011 Osaka Marathon, and a third place in London in April.

A pair of up-and-coming Ethiopians will also arrive after breakthrough performances earlier this year. Abebech Afework was second in Rotterdam in 2:23:59 and Ehitu Kiros Reda was second in Dubai in 2:23:38.

Other international entrants include 2013 LA Marathon champion and Belarus national recordholder Aliaksandra Duliba and the Chinese pair of Yue Chao and Zhang Jingxia.

Organisers for the IAAF

Nairobi, Kenya, September 8- Kenya’s Harambee Stars ended its 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note after a 1-0 victory over Namibia in Nairobi on Sunday.

Defender David Owino scored the winner to give Kenya its first win of the qualifiers. The result also saw Kenya finish the campaign in third place in the group with six points, two ahead of bottom placed Namibia.

Stars made the perfect start with the Gor Mahia defender volleying home the opener off a Francis Kahata corner.

Namibia though settled down quickly and Stephanus Wily was only denied by the crossbar on 14 minutes.

Handed a starting berth down the left, Aboud Omar was having a baptism of fire as the visitors targeted his flank.
Coach Adel Amrouche decided to change things around on 36 minutes withdrawing Edwin Lavatsa for Allan Wanga.

Back in the side after missing the last two matches, Dennis Oliech went close on the stroke of halftime but Namibian keeper Effram clawed out his powerful header.

The Warriors dominated proceedings for most of the second half but were unable to find a final pass to match their approach play. Jakob Pineas wasted a glorious chance on the hour mark blazing over from 12 yards and a minute later, saw his shot deflected out for a corner.

With Brain Mandela struggling with injury, Peter Opiyo was thrown into the fray on 65, with David Ocheing who had started infront of the back four, dropping in to partner Joackins Atudo in defence.

Playing on the counter, Stars had chances to finish off the content with substitute Wanga hitting the crossbar with a fierce shot 13 minutes from time. Oliech also wasted a glorious chance on 85 minutes when he was out through but he dithered and the chance was lost.

-By SuperSport.com

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 9- KCB ended the season in style, their 17-12 win over Lunch Bar Quins in the Christie Seven final capping a dominant season that saw them win three win cup finals en route to being crowned the 2013 Safaricom Sevens Series champions.

This tense final played before a capacity crowd at the RFUEA Grounds saw Quins start the game with vigor, taking the game to KCB but Kenya Sevens skipper Andrew Amonde gathered the ball in his half, sprinting clear to score but Fabian Olando missed the conversion, 5-0 to KCB.

Edwin Salamba conjured up a second try for KCB, literally out of nothing, Olando making no mistake with the conversion, 12-0 KCB.

Quins were still in the game, Eden Agero gathering his own high ball to score a first try. His conversion was good, 12-7 the scores and it was game on. Agero would land a second try for Quins right on half time, all square 12-12 going into half time.

KCB were the more dominant side in the second half, pressing Quins, and even missing a clear cut scoring opportunity when Olando dropped the ball on the try line after being played in by Amonde. They would keep up the pressure, scoring the match winning try through Amonde.

KCB topped the series standings with 96 points, 14 clear of second placed Quins.

Collated Results

Shield Final

Eldoret 21 Kabras 19

Bowl Final

Nakuru 26 Blak Blad 5

Plate Final

Strathmore 14 Nondies 12

Third Place Playoff

Homeboyz 12 Impala 7

Main Cup Final

KCB 17 Quins 12

PRETORIA, South Africa, Monday- The 2013 COPA Coca-Cola international camp kicked-off on Monday at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria.

With all 142 players having reported by late Sunday evening, they were taken through their paces today by a team of experienced coaches from Forwardzone led by Orlando Pirates youth coach, Junior Bhengu.

Bhengu, a former midfield player with the defunct Manning Rangers, is among a host of tacticians who will prepare the Under-15 players for the tournament slated to begin on Thursday.

Other coaches at the camp include current Banyana Banyana goalkeeping coach Thomas Nare, former Maroka Swallows and Pirates player Chris Mazibugo, PSL side Bidvest Wits youth Coach Ashley Makhanya, Vodacom League FC Alex coach Caesar Maphala and Lerato Kabamba, an Under-12 and Under-10 youth coach specialist.

“Football is not just about competition on the pitch but also making friends so we merged the players so that they can bond with their colleagues who would otherwise be total strangers,” said Bhengu.

“I am happy with what I have seen with these kids. Our training is designed to try improving them in all areas of the game including defending, pressing the ball in the midfield and attacking,” said Mazibugo who has also worked with Orlando Pirates as a development coach.

Besides the football aspect, the coaches are also generating a physical profile of the players through sports science testing, a first at the camp.

Led by Douglas Rathbone, the programme which also involves an aerobics session, aims at testing the body fat composition of the players, their flexibility, speed and agility among others.

“This physical science test will help us (coaches) know which players need improvement in different areas of their game. A complete player is one who has that explosive power with him, is stable on his feet and can endure long hours of the game and that’s what we are trying to establish,” said Rathbone.

The Monday training session came against the backdrop of an entertaining opening ceremony held on Sunday evening at Union Caterers in Utopia, Pretoria.

The two training sessions in the morning and afternoon saw the teams divided into mixed groups of 14 players each and included improving endurance, dribbling, communicating, pressing, positioning and passing the ball under pressure among others football skills.

On Tuesday, the players with 12 Kenyans among them will go for an excursion at X-Tribes in Heartbeest, Guateng Province.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 9- Manchester United striking legend, Dwight Yorke arrives in the country tomorrow for a three day visit courtesy of the Airtel Rising Stars program.

Dick Omondi, Airtel Brand and Corporate Communications Director, disclosed that while in the country, the Trinidad and Tobago national will conduct a coaching clinic for the two schools, Upper Hill and Olympic High School teams, which will represent Kenya at the Airtel Rising Stars Africa championship slated for Nigeria next week. He will also visit Mukuru Kwa Njenga Primary school.

Yorke, 43, had a successful stint at United from 1998 to 2002. During the four seasons, ‘The Smiling Assassin’ formed a deadly strike partnership with Andy Cole leading United to an unprecedented Treble in 1999 after winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League that season.

Yorke’s colourful career at United , after arriving from Aston Villa, saw him score 66 goals in 152 appearances.

Towards the end of his career, he also played for Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland.

He launched his career in football management when he served as the assistant manager of the Trinidad and Tobago national team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Yorke is currently an assistant coach for the Red Devils’ reserves.

Yorke’s arrival is a follow up to last month’s visit by officials from the English Premier League champions.

Led by Head of Marketing Jonathan Rigby, the officials attended the national finals in Embu last month to assess the progress made in youth football since the launch of Airtel Rising Stars competition two years ago.

Upper Hill and Olympic will be up against opponents from 14 African nations. The Africa championship will attract teams from some of Africa powerhouses in the under 17 age group such as Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, DRC pitted against upcoming nations such as Gabon, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Burkina Faso amongst others.

The tournament will comprise of a preliminary qualifying round, a knockout round and a final.

The Airtel Rising Stars is an Africa-wide program that provides a platform for upcoming soccer talent under the age of seventeen to showcase their skills to leading scouts, coaches and have an opportunity to further their football skills.

In Kenya, the initiative targets boys and girls in secondary schools across the country in partnership with the Kenya secondary Schools Sports Association.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 9- Football Kenya federation (FKF) has on Monday directed Gor Mahia to be awarded maximum points in their abandoned match against Sony Sugar in Awendo.

In a letter addressed to the CEO of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), Jack Oguda, K’Ogalo have been awarded the match pursuant to “articles 3.4(b), 3.5 (c) and 3.8 of the Rules of Kenyan football (1998),” that found Sony culpable of causing the abandonment of the match on 84 minutes after Gor were awarded a controversial equaliser for 2-2.

According to FKF CEO, Michael Esakwa who signed the letter, “The 1st assistant referee was assaulted by a player and an official of Sony Sugar FC, there was intervention by the police to control the crowd and the match was stopped for 28 minutes.”

He added that the collapse of the perimeter fence during the September 1 game was an after effect of the stoppage and subsequent abandonment of the match.

FKF reprimanded KPL referee boss, GMT Ottieno for interfering and skewing the decision of the match officials and calling off the match.

On their part, KPL had asked for the fixture to be replayed on September 18 at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru, with the league leaders saying they would not honour the rearranged fixture.

Speaking in Awendo after leading his side to a 1-0 win over Ulinzi Stars, Sony coach, Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno referred the matter to his chairman and secretary.

“My work is to ensure the boys are ready for any game we are called on to play. However, the league should be fair for all and not be suited for some big clubs,” the former Gor head coach added.

If Gor get the three points, they will move to 44, nine clear of second placed Sofapaka with nine games to go, bringing them closer to their first title since 1995.

- By Alex Isaboke

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 10 – Ten foreign teams have confirmed their participation at the 18th Safaricom Safari Sevens slated from September 20 to 22 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Australia Renegades are the top bill, and they will be joined by the England Royals.
Other international teams that have confirmed participation include Belgium,

Grenoble from France, Rwanda, leading invitational side Samurai, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa’s Western Province and Ponsonby from New Zealand.

These teams will be joined by hosts Kenya, Shujaa and a Kenya Sevens Academy side which consists of U-19 players.

This will be the first assignment for Academy as they gear towards the 2014 Youth Olympics in China where Kenya and South Africa will represent the African continent after receiving automatic qualification.

This year’s competition also features the newly introduced clubs category which will see the top eight sides from the just concluded Safaricom Sevens Series battle it out with four international sides in a 12 team competition to be played concurrently with the main international tournament.

The Schools U-19 competition once again features, seven regional Kenyan teams namely Western, Nyanza, Eastern, Central, Coast, Nairobi, Rift Valley having confirmed their participation alongside Rwanda and Uganda.

Tournament organizers are awaiting confirmations from Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

In the veteran category, defending Champions Impala RFC are top seed for this year’s event with bitter rivals Kenya Harlequin seeded second.

Other confirmed sides include Pwani Vets, Nondies, Les Gaulois, Uganda Vets, KCB Vets and Tanzania’s Dar Barians.

- By Alex Isaboke

LONDON, England, September 10 – British distance running star Mo Farah has refuted suspicions that his startling form is down to drugs, saying that it was solely hard work that got him atop the podiums at the London Olympics and Moscow worlds.

“I work hard at what I do,” Farah told the Daily Telegraph from his altitude training base at the French Pyreanean town of Font-Romeu.

“If I didn’t I wouldn’t be up here in the mountains, spending more than six months a year away from my wife and kids. That’s why it hurts.”

Farah backed up his 5,000-10,000m double at the London Games with a similar feat at last month’s world championships in the Russian capital to ensure his place among the top distance runners there have ever been.

But he has had to battle back against allegations that his streak to podium-topping form was down to doping.

“Look at my success, I didn’t achieve it overnight. It has been the product of many years’ struggle, and every year my times have shown gradual improvement,” he told the Telegraph.

Farah even refutes claims that his times have improved exponentially since his move to the United States under coach Alberto Salazar.

“I was running sub-13 minutes for 5,000 when I was still coached by Alan Storey, and I won double gold at the Europeans in 2010,” he maintained.

“Even if you compare my world-title run over 10,000 this summer to six years ago, I was still there at the bell in Osaka, too. It was only in the last 200 that I fell back to sixth.”

Farah added: “All of this hurts, because deep down I know that I’m probably the most tested athlete in the world. I have to give up a one-hour slot every day, no matter where I am on the planet.

“I only wish that other countries had the same system. What we need, to get on top of this problem, is to apply the same rules worldwide. For my part, I know that Alberto is a great coach, and that for all my blood tests I work with Barry Fudge, the top physiologist at UK Athletics. I never go outside the system.”

Farah’s next outing will be against former winner Haile Gebrselassie and fellow Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele in the half-marathon at Sunday’s Great North Run.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, September 10- Former world marathon record holder and twice Olympics silver medallist, Paul Tergat, has been elected as an International Olympics Committee (IOC) member on Tuesday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Tergat is among the new IOC members elected at the Olympics governing body’s congress that is going on in Argentina although he did not vote in the elections of the new president later Tuesday.

Russian Olympic Committee president and politician Alexander Zhukov and U.S. Olympic Committee head Larry Probst, are among others voted to the committee.

Tergat was proposed to replace Dr. Kipchoge Keino at the IOC following last year’s London Olympics by the National Olympics Committee- Kenya (NOCK) that the legendary double Olympics champion heads.

Kipchoge who is over the IOC membership threshold age of 71, is now a honorary life member of the Olympics body having been granted that honour with among others, former president Juan Antonio Samatranch.

“The advantage we have (Kenya) is that now we have a member and honorary member of the IOC. We congratulate Tergat for being elected as an IOC membership. There are a lot of things we did on the background, including the introduction to the council by Kipchoge in Laussane,” Nock Executive Officer, Stephen Soi, told Capital Sport.

“There were other countries eying the same seat and its great that our efforts have borne fruit in the end and we can look forward to Africa being represented well, besides Kenya at the IOC,” he added.

Tergat, 44, made his name as the ‘Gentleman of Athletics’ in his outstanding distance running career that also marked his status as the first man to win five World Cross Country senior titles in a row between 1995 and 1999.

He set the world record of 2:05:55 at the 2003 Berlin Marathon besides winning the 2006 New York race having participated in the men 10,000m finals hailed as the best ever at the Olympics in the 1996 and 2000 games in Atlanta and Sydney where he lost the gold to Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrsellasie by the thickness of a vest on both occasions.

His great rival in competition and personal friend off it followed his footsteps to the ultimate distance where he set two world records with 2:04:24 and 2:03:59 before Patrick Makau brought it back to Kenya with his 2:03:38 winning effort at the 2011 edition of the same Berlin race.

During the Nock elections in May, Tergat retained his seat as the athletes representative for men, beating swimmer and Commonwealth champion, Jason Dunford, by 20 votes by nine.

He is the founder of the Paul Tergat Foundation that among others, organises the annual Safaricom Sports Personality of the Year Awards that decorate outstanding Kenyan sports persons.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 11- Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has withdrawn the Players’ Licence granted to Nigerian national Ken Joseph, following claims he obtained it fraudulently and without their knowledge from their sacked former CEO, Lordvick Aduda.

In a statement, FKF said Aduda ceased to be their employee but continued to discharge duties that saw Joseph given the right to facilitate transfers of Kenyan players to the Middle East that have caused controversy in the past month.

The local football governing body stated they are investigating the transfers in question and have notified world governing body FIFA of the developments.

“It has come to our attention that he (Aduda) has been receiving and or soliciting for emails communication meant for the Federation official purposes a fraudulent act in nature classified as a cyber-crime.

“He went further to forward the name of one Mr. Ken Joseph a Nigerian national for award of the FIFA Player agent without the approval and knowledge of the National Executive Committee,” a statement from FKF dispatched to newsrooms on Tuesday read.

“With this licence Ken Joseph has been masquerading as a player’s Agent and has approached clubs and players in Kenya luring them to join clubs in the Middle East.

“He was at the centre of the controversy surrounding the transfer of some players from one of our Premier League clubs early last month,” the brief added without mentioning particular cases.

“Football Kenya Federation has now taken charge of the situation and has hereby revoked the Players License issued to him and has duly informed FIFA of the same.

“Therefore all clubs and players are warned not to deal with the above named regarding any players transfers,” the statement concluded.

The transfers of attacking midfielder, Rama Salim, a Kenya international from domestic league leaders, Gor Mahia FC to a second division club in Qatar and another of Tusker FC defender, David Ochieng, also capped by his country to Saudi Arabia professional league outfit Al Taawoun have kicked off a storm in the past month.

National football team head coach, Belgian national Adel Amrouche, was also roped into the controversy before he strenuously denied involvement in acting as a players’ agent in the movement of talent to the Middle East.

“I don’t talk about transfers. I put them in direct contact with clubs, I don’t take consultancy with players and I help my players to grow. I’m angry when reports asked whether Adel is an agent or coach. People called me from Europe,” the bitter head coach said.

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 11- Kenya has been pooled in Group A alongside defending champions New Zealand, regional qualifiers Tonga and USA in the opening 2013/14 HSBC Sevens World Series showdown, Gold Coast 7s in Australia.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) and the Australian Rugby Union tournament organisers announced the draw on Wednesday for the event that will run on the weekend of October 10 to 12.

Last season’s runners-up South Africa headline Group B and will face against England, France and Spain while defending Gold Coast champions Fiji are in Pool C together with Wales, Canada and Portugal.

As the fourth-ranked team in 2012/13, the Samoans are the top seed in Pool D and face hosts Australia, Argentina and Scotland.

Kenya finished fifth overall in the World Series last season with 99 points and this year they will be looking for greater heights even as they wait for the appointment of the new head coach after Mike Friday resigned in July this year.

The Kenyan boys will use the forth coming Safaricom Safari Sevens slated for September 20 to 22 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani as a preparation towards their first series.

Friday’s successor, largely said to be former South Africa tactician, Paul Treu, will be unveiled in the week after the Safari Sevens with assistant coach, Felix Ochieng in charge of the team for the tournament.

The IRB’s new General Manager for Sevens, Avan Lee, was present at the draw in London with HSBC’s head of Rugby sponsorship Andrea de Vincentiis and IRB’s Head of Commercial, Broadcast and Marketing Murray Barnett, and believes that the Gold Coast event marks the start of the three most important seasons for the sport.

“This is a pivotal time for Rugby Sevens with three years until our debut at the Olympic Games and the Gold Coast is an exciting and eye-catching place for the HSBC Sevens World Series to kick off,” said Lee.

“The Series is growing as a sporting brand all the time, attracting hundreds of thousands through the turnstiles around the world and millions more on TV. Working with the Australian Rugby Union and the eight other hosts I’m sure we’re in for another superb season.”

- By Alex Isaboke

Last season’s HSBC World Series standings

1. New Zealand

2. South Africa

3. Fiji

4. Samoa

5. Kenya

6. England

7. Wales

8. Australia

9. France

10. Argentina

11. USA

12. Canada

13. Scotland

14. Portugal

15. Spain

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 11- The calm in which he settled in the Capital FM studios in Nairobi on Wednesday morning as eager staffers queued up in uninhibited excitement to take pictures and engage with him belied his status as one of the lynchpins of the most successful strike force in Manchester United’s history.

At 41, he still looks like someone who could step on a pitch and terrorise defences anywhere in the world although he brought an end to his glittering career in 2010 having played for seven clubs, five of them in England.

Yes, Dwight Yorke, the Trinidad and Tobago national who was part of arguably retired legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest United, side that reached its apex with a treble win in the 1999 season is in town to prove to local lads that they too can rise from the humble beginnings to play for the biggest teams in the world.

“I’ve been to Africa over the years but I’ve not had the opportunity to travel to Kenya. So far, it’s been great, the people and the food I ate last night are great. The people seem very warm and welcoming, genuine and hardworking. I just felt the warmth of the country is exceptional,” was his first impression of the country coded 254.

Yorke is on a three-day tour of Kenya under the auspices of the Airtel Rising Stars initiative, now in its third year, that partners with United to give youngsters a chance to pursue their dream of playing professional football at the top level.

“I’m delighted to be an ambassador of the football club. United do not put a name for something they can’t fulfil and three years into the partnership, people like Andy Cole, Quinton Fortune and I visiting because of the commitment United show in the past.

“We are here to send that message to everyone that we are a partnership with Airtel of trying to give kids an opportunity to fulfil their dreams. We are delighted to be ambassadors of the club and I’m delighted to be here in Kenya to encourage people to pursue their dreams.”

Yorke who came from a similar background to Kenya notes he is ‘living proof’ that opportunity is always around the corner.

“I can relate to the people of Kenya. I came from a similar background and I have had to go through and endure the same hardship of wanting to make it with very little facilities and little money.

“I came from a family of nine and living in a two-bedroom house but that never deterred me for one moment. It never made me stop thinking that if I wanted to be a professional footballer, I just needed an opportunity.”

He added: “That was then, football has become a global sport and here we are in Kenya with the help of Airtel and United laying a foundation for kids and that was not there five years ago.

“We want the kids to embrace it and make them realise this is a possibility provided they want to work for it because it is not going to be handed to you on a plate, you have to go out there and earn it and work extremely hard to do so. You need to commit, make sacrifices, work hard and practise hard is the only way.”

Yorke was scheduled to speak to Upper Hill, Olympic and Mukuru Primary schools in his tour as he seeks to follow his former team mates, Andy Cole and Quinton Fortune who came here last year for the same purpose.

The Caribbean football star who netted 64 goals for Manchester United in 188 appearances called on local football authorities to embrace youth development systems to improve the fortunes of Kenyan football.

“In the 90s, United produced eight world class players from their system. I came through a system of under 10s, 14s, 18s, 21s, to the senior team and with such development, the likes of Messi (Lionel) and Ronaldo (Cristiano) came through such.

“If you don’t have continuity, then the country cannot produce enough players. It’s a topic everyone is debating, in England, they are talking about the influx of foreign players and in Kenya and you need coaching clinics, corporate and other investors of youth development.”

In his heyday, Yorke was also famed for a colourful lifestyle off the pitch, dating a number of top models including Katie Price also known as Jordan that made him constant tabloid fodder at United.

Having lived through the lavish glamorous life of money, fast cars and women, Yorke called upon upcoming players to temper the fan and focus on their football.

“I never drank until I was 21 years. There were only three foreigners allowed during my time at any team. Football has become such a global sport, the money, the finances are rewarding and it’s very difficult for a young player to have all this money and live a normal life.

“Going out, spending on fast cars and beautiful women are part of the concept and if I was to do it all over again, I would do the same but try to stay as focused because those are the moments you need to work harder because people are waiting for you to be a failure. Keep reminding yourself what got you here in the first place and that is hard work, getting to that level is the easy bit, maintaining it is the hardest part.”

During the visit to Capital FM, the only thing that betrayed his fast paced life as a United star was his appreciation of the music being churned out by the resident mix-master, DJ Joe who was spinning reggae tracks he was very familiar with owing to his Caribbean roots.

“Hey Joe, show me what you got,” he told the turn-table ace who obliged by keeping his head nodding in his next set.