Team Kenya given ‘last dinner party’ to conquer Paris Games

Kenya’s delegation to this year’s Paris Olympic Games was treated to a special dinner by the country’s ambassador to France Betty Cherwon on Thursday night here at the French capital as the officials brimmed with confidence Team Kenya will improve Tokyo Olympics outing.

The National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat urged the over 80 athletes set to don the Kenyan colours during the Summer Games to carry a ‘sense of duty’, saying he was confident after the ‘near-perfect' preparations.

“I’ve been to many Olympic Games and this one seems to be our finest attempt to get everything excellent as a nation. Let’s conquer Paris, let everyone feel Kenya's presence.

“We’ve an assignment which is a national duty and also personal goals to achieve and I know we will not let the other Kenyans down,” Tergat,

Tergat, who himself won silver in 1996 and 2000 Games in Atlanta and Sydney respectively in 10,000m, said he already had the feeling Kenya will roll.

“The president already gave us the ‘finest tag’ and so let’s conquer the Games.”

The dinner event also signified Kenya's readiness to conquer the Summer Games.

On his part, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum reiterated that Team Kenya is capable of doubling its gold medal haul from the Tokyo Olympics in Paris.

“The reason I was telling the media that I’m quite hopeful we can bag eight medals this year is because I’ve reflected and I can confidently say we’ve prepared well.”

He added: “Look at the kind of kitty we’ve made for this year’s team, for sure these athletes are happy and it’s all over on their faces. We’ve done everything right, why not win?”

Kenya’s performance dipped in the Tokyo edition where the country clinched only four medals, two less compared with Rio Olympics six’s.

Kenya House to spur tourism

As Kenya readies for medal harvest at the Stade de France, the tourism sector has positioned itself to reap big from the athletes.

Culture and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir said the establishment of the Kenya House Experience in Paris and Miramas would showcase Kenya as the epitome of tourism.

Ummi further stated that the Paris Olympics provides Kenya with a great opportunity to showcase the nation's beauty, heritage, and vibrance to a global audience.

“We will showcase the products and talents of everything special we have as a country. We also have exhibitions for investment and trade opportunities we have as Kenya and then a diaspora desk where we deal with giving information of all the Kenyans we’ve in diaspora, the opportunities in terms of labour and education.

“This house will also envisage an aspect of increasing the number of tourists and the Olympics acts as a perfect place to show and tell the world why Kenya is the best destination for tourists,” Ummi told Citizen Digital.

The House Experience will open its doors on Saturday and this will be the fourth time the ministry is setting up the facility during the Olympic Games.