Benjamin Muindi
25 August 2008
Nairobi — As the curtains came down on the Beijing Olympics, the Government sent congratulatory messages to the Kenya squad after putting up their best ever performance at the games.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo and numerous other Kenyans praised the team for winning five gold, five silver and four bronze medals in Beijing.
Kenya finished 15th overall and top in Africa.
"They were victorious against the world's toughest athletes who train with virtually unlimited resources from a very early age," said Raila in a statement.
"Our women's achievements are particularly inspiring for us. The country is very grateful to the athletes because they have put us back on the world map after a very trying few months. This achievement is particularly memorable because it has renewed our unity in a way unimaginable a few months ago."
The Vice-President, on his arrival from a tour of Europe and Asia that included China, said Kenya was now a recognised sporting power."We are now the best on the continent and our plans to host the 2028 Olympics look certain," he said.
"We have learned that the Chinese and the Americans have made huge budgetary allocations to sports and that is why they managed to get many awards."
Sports Minister Hellen Sambili was charged with the duty of learning from the Chinese and adopting the best practices.
Kalonzo said over 370,000 Chinese were involved in the sporting industry on a full-time basis.
Meanwhile, bloggers on the Nation Website have been expressing pride on Kenyan athletes' achievements."Do you know how good it feels to hear the Kenyan national anthem play?" wrote blogger Nekesah. Blogger, Baba Kendi. wrote: "It gets so emotional to imagine that you beat these odds to defeat those from rich, stable countries."
Fate can be twisted," remarked a blogger who called himself 'Nani'. Blogger Maritim, writing from London, said everyone in Kenya should borrow a leaf from the athletes' book. "We were seated in a Kenyan pub in London called 'Thatched House', we were all cheering, 'go, go make Kenya proud' and the Kenyan team did just that. Alas! We are all one. So why then should we divide ourselves into tribes?"
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