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The national Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) awarded the Kenyan team for Commonwealth Games for outstanding performance in Eldoret on Wednesday night.

Addressing the gala as the Chief guest at the event outgoing Cabinet Secretary for Sport Amina Mohammed said that they had a plan for Kenyan athletes to run clean sports and they need to maintain it that way.

“Doping is bad and anybody using these chemicals will kill their sport because you will not be able to run for long. So, we had a plan to stop the menace from the perpetrators of using athletes to gain money on the expense of the athlete. Doping is all about the ecosystem,”Amina said. 

She added that the team’s achievements were well planned with different committees so that they could adhere to the world doping regulations of ensuring all athletes to compete in any competition have been tested adequately.

“We pumped in money for the Anti-doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) so that they conducted testing and we also approached athletes who we thought had influence to pass the agenda of clean sport,” she added. 

NOC-K President Paul Tergat alluded that there are plans to involve all stakeholders especially counties to tap talents from those areas.

“We are entering partnership with different counties to see that we are able to tap talents in different sports so that we do not leave out another Omanyala and also to amass more medals during such competition,” said Tergat.

Kenya collected 21 medals (six gold, five silver and 10 bronze) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, finishing 13th overall and third in Africa.

At the gala, Tecla Chemabwai was given the Honorary Award. She was the first Kenyan woman athlete to compete at the Olympics.

She won 400m race at the 1973 All-Africa games, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win All-Africa Games gold medal in athletics.  Athletes and guests observed a moment of silence to Sabina Chebichi who passed on several years ago.  ‘The petticoat princess’ was the first Kenyan female athlete to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1974, a bronze in the 800m Women’s race at 2:02.61

Chemabwai received the award on behalf of her long-term friend.

Outstanding Awards were accorded to commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkoech, clocked a New Games Record of 9:15:19 while Ferdinand Omanyala received the award for bringing home gold in the 100m after 60 years.

Those who performed well and got medals received Sh350,000 for gold medal while silver medallist got Sh200,000 as those who won bronze medalists received Sh100,000

All Birmingham Games athletes received a token to celebrate their achievements.

Jenn Maina, who was the team manager for the Swimming Team represented the team. Certificate of Merit was also awarded to eight athletes.