Kenya’s sole Taekwondo representative at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Faith Ogallo bowed out of the competition afterlosing to Poland’s Aleksandra Kowalczuk by a final score of 15-7 in their women’s +67kgs repechage round one contest. Earlier, the Kibabii University student suffered heartbreaking 13-0 loss to Serbian Milica Mandic in the Women’s +67kg Round-of-16 contest held in the early morning of 27th July, 2021 at the Olympic’s Makuhari Messe Hall A.
As Ogallo’s hopes to finish in the medal bracket diminished, back home at Kibabii University, heartyacclamations embellished the air with her supporters applauding her efforts in lifting the Kenyan flag in her first Olympics stint. Ms. Ogallo qualified for the Olympics during the African Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Rabat, Morocco in 2020. Together with it, Ms. Ogallo’s qualification steered by her Coach Eliakim Otieno ended Kenya’s 12-year dry spell to present an athlete in Taekwondo at the Olympics. Mr. Eliakim feels that the exposure and lessons gathered from Tokyo shall contribute to the growth of the sport in Kenya and that Ogallo stands a better chance in future competitions.
“Faith is daring and courageous. Kenya is lucky to have this kind of athlete. Also, being that age is on her side, the future is definitely very bright,” he said. An analysis done by Kibabii University Games Tutor Mr. Tom Amwanzo reveals that Kibabii University has contributed immensely in the development of Taekwondo and many other sporting disciplines in Kenya.
So how does Kibabii University give birth to these champions?
The University has sports program that starts at the induction of first year students during the orientation. The Games Section is tasked to make an audit of each learner and understand his/her sporting ability. With this information, the students are registered into various sports disciplines and it is at this point that the marking of champions starts. At this stage, students are taken through a rigorous induction programme by coaches, captains and the Student Affairs Department. Thereafter, the sportsmen and women are assessed and their levels identified as armature, elite or professional. It is after this identification that training starts. This training involves physical fitness training, skills development training, mental and psychological training. The Games Officers develop a scientific training programme for each sport and coaches directed on how to implement it and thereafter training starts. The teams are then exposed to championships and competitions funded by the University. Some of the championships our athletes compete are; Kenya University Sports Association (KUSA), East Africa University Games Association Competitions (EAUGA), Africa University Sports Association (FASU) and FISU World University Games. These platforms provide sports persons with an opportunity to display their skills and talents depending on their levels achieved during training.
Presently, Kibabii University has earmarked new champions on the rise; Eunice Wekesa Nabwile, Augustin Meki and Festus Cheruiyot are gunning for the 10,000m Cross Country while Muchangi Julie and Leonard Mukanda are rising fast in Faith Ogallo’s Taekwondo footsteps. These group of students are being prepared for the World University Games in China in 2022.
According to Mr. Amwanzo, Kibabii University has even more potential to contribute to the Nation and the Region through a well-structured games and sports programmes that take care of both students and staff’s sporting needs. This requires modern sports facilities and equipment; a health and fitness gym, an Olympic size swimming pool, in addition to the already existing facilities. The University has so far developed a Sports Complex with a four-hundred-meter athletics track, a soccer, hockey and rugby fields. These facilities, yet to be launched have been received with joy and happiness by both students, staff and the community.
With these developments, Amwanzo believes the University is ripe enough to introducing Physical Education and Sports Science courses which are now having a global demand especially after the introduction of the CBC Curriculum in Kenya.
