This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
The Kenya Karate team is gearing up for the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, with a clear objective: to win the country's first gold medal in the event.
Team captain David Kimani, who led the team to the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, where they won a bronze medal, believes that the current crop of athletes has what it takes to achieve this goal.
Kimani notes that the team's chances are hindered by the small number of athletes selected to represent the country and lack of international exposure. However, he remains optimistic that the team can overcome these challenges and bring home a gold medal.
"They have been there for some time and they don't miss any event, but we have our challenges, even after having trained for a championship we fail to attend due to lack of funds," Kimani told Citizen Digital.
The team will face stiff competition from top African nations, including Algeria, Egypt, Congo, Senegal, Cameroon, and South Africa, who dominated the medal standings in Congo Brazzaville four years ago.
Head coach John Owiti is confident that the team can improve their chances by increasing the number of participants and focusing on technique and physical fitness.
"We are given few slots because we have not been able to come home with medals, but this time I want to prove them wrong so that in the upcoming events we are given a good number," Owiti said.
