Team Kenya captain Julius Yego reckons their performance at the just concluded Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games was remarkable.
Kenya secured a sixth spot finish after scooping six gold, five silver and 10 bronze, with Yego claiming the country’s last medal (a bronze) in the men's javelin at the quadrennial showpiece.
“I captained the team and, unfortunately, I've heard people saying we didn't perform well. We did so well because most of us recorded season and personal bests in our respective fields,” Yego said.
“Every one of us has tried. We thank our fans back home for the undying support,” Yego said.
Yego's remarks come amid growing criticism surrounding the Kenyan contingent's performance on the global stage.
The former javelin World Champion improved his season's best to 85.7m on the final day of the competition.
He, however, finished third behind Pakistani Arshad Nadeem who recorded 90.18m as Anderson Peters of Grenada threw 88.64m to bag silver.
“I'm so happy that I won a bronze for my country. My patience paid off. After you sustain the kind of injury I had, it takes quite some time to get back. I've had four years of struggle and disappointment as I fought to recover. I'm 80 percent healthy and so I'm getting better.
“I'm so excited I've made a good comeback. The field had very strong competition. The level of competition was very high.
“I thank God I finally got bronze after struggling for four years. I'm very sure many people had written me off that I wouldn't bounce back.”
The bronze is Yego's second medal at the Commonwealth Games, following a gold medal at the 2014 Glasgow Games in Scotland.
Yego at the time beat the Olympic champion, Keshorn Walcott, with a distance of 83.87 m to go down in history as the first Kenyan athlete to win a Commonwealth title in a field event.
“I'm ending the year with a bronze in addition to the gold medal I won in Glasgow in 2014.”
Yego said he was driven to bronze by the passionate and adoring fans at the Alexander Stadium arena.
“I love this crowd. Remember, my 90-metres personal best was achieved inside this stadium, so I like competing here. I thank my fans and everyone else who cheered me.
“ I think it has gone so well here in Birmingham. I wanted to be on the podium despite the presence of good throwers who have done so well before the Commonwealth Games. We had a world champion Peters who emerged second."
Kenya had some rare moments of individual brilliance in Birmingham.
The East African nation's most memorable performance came when Ferdinand Omanyala shook off his World Athletics Championships misfortunes to hurtle to the nation's first gold medal in the men's 100 metres final.
Kenya's medallists at Commonwealth Games
Gold
Wycliffe Kinyamal - 800m men
Mary Moraa - 800m women
Beatrice Chebet - 5,000m women
Ferdinand Omanyala - 100m men
Abraham Kibiwott - 3,000m men (steeplechase)
Jackeline Chepkoech - 3,000m women (steeplechase)
Silver
Timothy Cheruiyot - 1,500m men
Daniel Simiu Ebenyo - 10,000m men
Irene Cheptai - 10,000m women
Margaret Wangari Muriuki - marathon women
Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli - 5,000m men
Bronze
Kibiwott Kandie - 10,000m men
Abel Serem - 3,000m men
Michael Mugo Githae - marathon men
Sheila Chepkirui - 10,000m women
Emily Ngai - race walk women
4x400m - men
Selah Busienei - 5,000m women
Julius Yego - javelin men
Jacob Krop - 5,000m
Hellen Wawira Kariuki - lightweight para weightlifting women
