•The triumphant Kenyan athletes who competed in the World Athletics Cross Country Championship Bathurst 2023 were welcomed with a feast at the Weston Hotel in Nairobi upon arrival on Wednesday.
•The team of Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Mirriam Cherop, Kyumbe Munguti and Brenda Chebet took first place in the mixed relay race.
Image: Tony Mballa
The triumphant Kenyan athletes who competed in the World Athletics Cross Country Championship Bathurst 2023 were welcomed with a feast at the Weston Hotel in Nairobi upon arrival on Wednesday.
Pomp and color marked the early breakfast reception graced by a list of high-profile dignitaries who were led by the Cabinet Secretary for Sports,Ababu Namwamba, and Sports Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke.
All smiles and looking elated throughout the occasion, Namwamba was dressed in a light grey woolen designer suit, a white shirt, and nearly flawlessly buffed black glittery shoes.
Mueke, on the other hand, wore a white shirt, a grey-striped suit, and black shoes that went well with his tastefully tailored attire.
The two shared a reserved VIP table with Paul Tergat, president of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, Jackson Tuwei, president of Athletics Kenya, and Kenneth Mwige, director general of the Kenya Vision 2030 delivery secretariat.
The legendary Kenyan athlete Tegla Lourupe and Susan Kamau, the chief administrative officer of AK, shared a table with Joan Mwaura, CEO of the Lotto Foundation.
The traditional practice of having everyone sing the national anthem together in unison was noticeably absent from this occasion.
Image: HANDOUT
In contrast, Miss World Kenya Chatou Kwamboka mesmerised the audience at the hotel with a violin performance of the national anthem, the melodious tune adding some spice to her lovely body frame.
The beauty pageant looked utterly gorgeous in a body-hugging, sleeveless traditional dress embellished with a rainbow of colors taken from the Kenyan flag.
Dressed in a petite black dress and matching stockings that complemented her fair skin, Pauline Shegu, the director of communications at the Sports Ministry, welcomed Kwamboka to the stage amid reverberating applause across the room.
After captivating the audience with her scintillating musical abilities,Kwamboka strutted back to her table to join Franklyn Asoyo, Mr. WorldKenya, who had accompanied her to the ceremony.
The most interesting moment came when the invited all-boy band rocked the stage with popular tunes that lit up the entire house.
Their performance was so electrifying that CS Namwamba and the rest of the VIP table got up to dance.
All of the athletes joined in shortly after and soon a line was moving around the room while jiggling to an enthralling Mugithi tune that bellowed out of the gigantic speakers.
Once they were done, the CS and his colleagues removed their jackets and slumped back into their seats. They were sweltering under the collar after the energetic dance.
Image: HANDOUT
Breakfast was then served. The extensive menu, which included boiled eggs, sausages, pork, kale, ugali, yam, cooked beans, boiled corn, tea, and juice made from a variety of fruits, was composed of both traditional and exotic delicacies.
People also had the chance to sample Mursik, a traditional fermented milk dish from the Kalenjin community.
The day's MC Shegu then gave the floor to several speakers but only after breakfast had been served.
Team Kenya captain Kibiwott Kandie kicked off the speech session. Team manager Patrick Arandu then entered the stage while sporting a red cap, the distinctive Team Kenya tracksuit, and beige pants.
The next speaker, AK President Tuwei, dressed in a light grey checked suit and a light blue shirt, enthralled the audience with an engaging history of the cross-country championships and Kenya's participation in them.
Paul Tergat, president of NOCK, who was equally charming in a dark suit, a white shirt, and a red tie, took the stage after him. Lotto Foundation CEO Joan Mwaura, who marked the occasion with a chic black outfit, and Vision 2030's Kenneth Migwe took the stage next.
After they were finished, PS Mueke delivered his speech and then introduced CS Namwamba to the audience. The Disc Jockey played a hit song as the young CS strutted up to the podium, and the contagious rhythm sent the entire room dancing.
A group photo session wrapped up the day's program with the athletes, the coaching staff, and all the guests jostling for position on the stage.
Speaker after speaker praised the team for outstanding performance with poetic language.
With 10 medals — six gold, two silver, and two bronze — Team Kenya took first place in the medal count in Australia. Kenya won three team titles, mixed relays and two individual titles.
Beatrice Chebet, the world 5,000m silver medalist and the Commonwealth 5,000m champion, won the senior women's 10km race, while Agnes Jebet finished third.
Pamela Kosgei won bronze in the women's Under-20 6km race and Ishmael Kipkirui led Reynold Kipkorir to a podium sweep in the men's Under-20 8km race.
The team of Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Miriam Cherop, Kyumbe Munguti and Brenda Chebet won the mixed relay race. Geoffrey Kamworor was the best-placed kenyan in the senior men's race at fourth.