Team Kenya coach Julius Kirwa unhappy with travel plan

He said this was not their initial plan, as athletes were to fly out of the country based on the order of their events.

The first batch of Kenyan athletes, which arrived in Budapest on Tuesday morning, had no coaches or physiotherapists.

“The first physiotherapists travelled on Tuesday night and were expected in Hungary yesterday afternoon. That wasn’t the arrangement,” said Kirwa, adding that athletes have been calling him to find out when the physiotherapists would arrive.

Physiotherapists John Mayaka and Japheth Kariakim were due to link up with the team Wednesday afternoon. The other physiotherapist, Jessica Shiraku, is expected to jet out Thursday evening.

“Ideally, they should have travelled with the team. A lot of time will be wasted before they start serving athletes,” said the coach.

Kirwa said planning for the team’s trip was done after the national trials and it was based on the order of races. Athletes whose events fall on the first and second day of competition were required to travel four days earlier.

Kirwa said that the race walk event will open the championships on Saturday yet Kenyan competitor, Samuel Gathimba, is still in country similar to Bernard Kibet, who is expected to compete in the men’s 10,000 metres race on Sunday.  The athletes should have flown out on Tuesday night but their flight aborted.

“Sprinters are already in Budapest but their coach is still in Nairobi,” said Kirwa.

Gathimba, Kibet and a number of coaches were expected to leave the country last night for the world event.

“It doesn’t augur well when we travel in small batches of two or three athletes. Keeping athletes and officials in suspense without knowing when they will travel is simply not right,” said the veteran coach, who has guided the national team to great victories in the past.

He said, going forward, the people responsible for organising the team’s travel plans must consider coaches’ advice and proposals.

“This is quite important for performance. This is a national team that should be handled professionally,” said Kirwa.

Contacted for comment, Athletics Kenya Chief Administrative Officer Susan Kamau, who is in Hungary, disputed the claims.

“The information isn’t accurate,” Kamau said.

However, she did not elaborate her statement, only saying that she was about to attend a World Athletics Congress in Budapest.  

The last batch of track and field events athletes is set to leave Thursday evening. The group includes the 5,000m teams (men and women), 800m teams (men and women), as well as the women’s 3,000m steeplechase team.

The 2015 world javelin champion Julius Yego, who was polishing up his runway and throwing techniques at the team’s Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani training base Wednesday, will also be part of the travelling party on Thursday.

World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and Commonwealth Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkoech and world under-20 3,000m champion Faith Cherotich were also refining their skills at Kasarani Wednesday.

Commonwealth Games champions Mary Moraa (800m) and Beatrice Chebet (5,000m), Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Korir said they are ready for their opponents.

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