Ministry to launch first digital content feature on Kenyan sports
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed (centre), Sports Chief Administrative Secretary Noor Hassan (right), Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei (2nd right),Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga and Eng Ahmed Ibrahim (left) cut a cake in honour of Athletics Kenya's 70th anniversary at the Nyayo National Stadium on December 15, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Amina explained that the project, that will also incorporate the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, will give the country a platform to store all the turning sporting moments in history.
- “Furthermore, it will highlight the ‘super powers’ of Kenya’s athletes and show how sports can change lives and how iconic sports heroes are improving lives in their communities and pushing the known boundaries of athletic performance one second at a time,” said Amina.
The Ministry of Sports along with Athletics Kenya, Google Arts and Culture and Google Kenya, among others partners, are set to launch the first digital content feature on Kenyan sports.
Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Amina Mohamed, disclosed Tuesday that the venture is geared towards celebrating the country’s history, heritage and excellence across disciplines, geography and communities.
Amina explained that the project, that will also incorporate the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, will give the country a platform to store all the turning sporting moments in history.
Online sports museum
“Furthermore, it will highlight the ‘super powers’ of Kenya’s athletes and show how sports can change lives and how iconic sports heroes are improving lives in their communities and pushing the known boundaries of athletic performance one second at a time,” said Amina.
Amina was speaking when she led Athletics Kenya (AK) in celebrating its 70th Anniversary at the Nyayo National Stadium in a ceremony that was attended by 70 legendary athletes.
“I invite the sporting fraternity to fully participate in this monumental project whose end aspiration is to create an online sports museum to share the unbounded gift of Kenya’s rich sporting history with the rest of the world,” said Amina, who led the legends in cutting a cake to commemorate the occasion.
In attendance were AK president Jack Tuwei, Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri, who is a former AK chairman, Major General Fatuma Ahmed and Governors Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), among others.
Amina paid glowing tribute to Kenyan athletes and AK for elevating the country’s image with solid performances globally captured through the long journey starting at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada.
“We all recall the long road that we have travelled since Kenya’s debut at the Olympic Games in 1956 in Melbourne Australia while under colonial rule and in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympic Games as an independent Nation,” explained Amina.
“The story of athletics in our country is one that has attracted keen global scrutiny in the quest to unearth the secrets to our exceptional athleticism and winning formula.”
Amina noted that AK remains one of the most successful sports federations not only in Kenya, but in the world, having produced a galaxy of stars who have followed in the footsteps of pioneers.
Achievements stand out
Amina singled out such as Nyandika Maiyoro, Wilson Kiprugut Chumo, Amos Biwott, Kipchoge Keino, Naftali Temo, Naftali Bon, Ben Jipcho, Tecla Chemabwai Sang, Tegla Loroupe, Lydia Stephens, Elizabeth Jemeli Chesire, Hezekiah Nyamau, Robert Ouko, Julius Sang and Charles Asati.
“Their achievements stand out, starting with Kiprugut who was the first Kenyan to win an Olympic bronze medal, in the 880 yards (now 800m) at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games,” said Amina
