Sport in Kenya
Encyclopedia
Sports in Kenya are paralleled with Kenyan culture
and as old as the archeological trivia of the trace of the origin of mankind. Various indigenous traditional sports have prevailed in Kenya as elements of culture and a way of life since the history of mankind. Some of the traditional games and sports prevalent in Kenya since antiquity included but not limited to, wrestling, racing exercises, stick fights, hunting (using spears and arrows), board games, bull fights, and dances.. Most modern sports in Kenya owes credit to the British colonial occupation of 1890
. Professional teams in form of clubs were formed by colonial British settlers and Asian contractors as early as 1922 before the establishment of formal schools. Sports were introduced in schools in 1925. The syllabi for teaching sport through physical training in schools (extracurricular activity) was produced in 1935. Football (soccer) and athletics (track and field) respectively were the first sports to be professionally organized. Today, many sports are popular in Kenya
, played both professionally and as recreational physical activities. Among the sports played in Kenya today include Athletics (track & field and other running events), Cricket
, Motor Sports, Association Football (Soccer), Rugby Football Union
, Volleyball
, Basketball
, Swimming
and Diving
, Team Handball
, Netball
, Rounders
, Baseball
, Shooting, Softball
, Bicycling, Martial Arts
(Boxing
, Shotokan Karate, Goju Ryu Karate, Shorin Ryu Karate
, Kickboxing
, Judo
, and Taekwondo), Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis
, Squash
, Badminton
, Golf
, Canoeing
, Chess
, Goal Ball, Horse Riding/Equestrianism
, Polo
, Weightlifting
, Wrestling
, Archery
, Roller Sports, and Mountain Sports - Kenya
. Globally, Kenya is mainly known for her dominance in middle-distance and long-distance
races.
page for history) around 1922. Kenya has regularly produced Olympic
and Commonwealth Games
champions in various distance events, especially in 800 m, 1,500 m, 3,000 m steeplechase, 5,000 m, 10,000 m and the marathons. Kenyan athletes (particularly Kalenjin) continue to dominate the world of distance running, although competition from Morocco
and Ethiopia
has reduced this supremacy. Kenya's best-known athletes included the four-time women's Boston Marathon
winner and two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba
, former Marathon world record-holder Paul Tergat
, and John Ngugi
.
, the women's 800m gold medalist who went ahead to win the Golden League
jackpot, and Samuel Wanjiru
who won the men's marathon.
helped usher in Kenya's ongoing distance dynasty 1970s and was followed by Commonwealth Champion Henry Rono
's spectacular string of world record performances.
and Qatar
. The Kenyan Ministry of Sports has tried to stop the defections, but they have continued anyway, with Bernard Lagat
the latest, choosing to represent the United States
. Most of these defections occur because of economic or financial factors however some elite Kenyan runners who cannot qualify for their country's strong national team also find it easier to qualify by running for other countries.
. This has led to a suspension by FIFA
which was lifted in March, 2007.
. It is popular in Kenya especially with the annual Safari Sevens
tournament. Kenya sevens team
ranked 9th in IRB Sevens World Series for the 2006 season.
see also:
within Africa, with both the clubs and the national team winning various continental championships in the past decade. The women's team has also competed at the Olympics and World Championships
but without any notable success.
has competed in the Cricket World Cup
since 1996
. They upset some of the World's best teams and reached semi-finals of the 2003 tournament
. They also won the inaugural World Cricket League Division 1 hosted in Nairobi and participated in the World T20. Their current captain is Steve Tikolo
.
on June 2, 1953. The annual rally was renamed the East African Safari Rally from 1954 to 1975 and the Safari Rally
from 1975 to date. The 13-stage Safari Rally
was included in the inaugural FIA organized World Rally Championships (WRC) as the fourth round of the 13 rounds that comprised the WRC
rally season in 1973. Ian Duncan
is the only Kenyan to ever win a WRC round, the Safari Rally
in 1994. The African Rally Championship
(ARC) is a regional body of FIA and runs an annual rally season with eight rounds in eight different countries (Zimbabwe
, South Africa
, Zambia
, Kenya
, Uganda
, Tanzania
, Rwanda
, and Madagascar
) from March to November, except in October. The Safari Rally
was acknowledged as one of the toughest rallies in the world. The Kenyan legend, Shekhar Mehta
/Nissan won the ARC inaugural season (1981) while Davis Horsey/Peugeot
was the last Kenyan to win ARC in 1984. Locally, the Kenya National Rally Champion is selected from the points accumulated in several KCB
sponsored rounds. Ian Duncan is the 2011 KNR Champion. Patrick Njiru
/David Williamson was the first African driver to win the Kenya National Rally Championship . He raced competitively last in 2002 before retiring from competitive racing. Njiru however continued to organize and participate in charity races. Ian Duncan
is the most successful rally drivers in Kenya that continues to feature in various motor races to date. His Résumé
is as follows: 1) The only Kenyan to win a WRC round (the 42nd Trust Bank Safari Rally, 1994), 2) He has won Kenyan Rally Championship six times (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2000, and 2011), 3) He won the East African Classic Safari Rally in 2009 (racing in the same race in November, 2011), 4) He has won Guru Nanak Rally Championship 11 times, and 5) He won the Motorsport personality of the year 2010!
Prominent Kenyan-born legend drivers at the WRC series: Joginder Singh
(1973-1980), Shekhar Mehta
(1973-1987), Patrick Njiru
(1983-1998), and Ian Duncan
(1983-1999).
Other significant rally drivers in Kenya today: Carl Tundo, Azar Anwar, Lee Rose
, Jas Mangat, and Ben Muchemi.
Some of the KNRC two-wheel drivers: James Kirimi, Patrick Kibara, Joe Muchiri, Adnan Suhail, and Niaz Bashir.
has the largest athlete pool among all motor sports. There are six categories in motocross: MX50, MX65, MX85, MX125, MX2, and the open class, MX1. Some of elite Kenya Motocross riders include Shivam Vinayak
, Charles Mugo, Cruze Muigai, Anthony Nielsen, Mohammed Anwar, and Tutu Maina. Shivam is the most decorated motocross rider in Kenya with titles such as the MXI National Champion, FIM Central African Motocross Champion, and the Kenyan Motorcycle Cross-Country Champion. On August 28, 2011 during FIM Africa Motocross Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, Kenya was represented by three riders (Tutu Maina (MX125), Dekker Kihara (MX50), and Rolf Kihara (MX65) and finished 4th out of the six countries represented. In October 14-16, 2011, Kenya hosted the FIM Africa Cross Country Bike and Quad
Team Championships in the scenic Soysambu Conservancy in Nakuru.
championships such as National Enduro Championship, JCB/Ganatra Plant and Equipment Cross Country Rally Challenge. Kenya also takes part in the FIM Africa Enduro Championships. Shivam Vinayak
is one of the Kenya’s most elite Enduro
biker who also doubles up in motocross
. Enduro
championships also attract the four-wheeler quad bikes also known as All Terrain Vehicles (ATV
) with elite riders such as the defending champion Shazar Anwar, Murage Waigwa, Abid Ganatra, and Gurraj Singh. Enduro
also welcomes Buggy Racing attracting some experienced rallying drivers such as Ian Duncan and Samir Khan.
in Kenya. The major championship is the National Autocross Championship. Keith Henrie is the 2011 National Autocross champion. Other autocross athletes in Kenya include Charles Mugo, Samir Khan, and Rajbir Rai. Rally drivers such as the legend Ben Muchemi and his compatriots Stella Macharia and Onkar Rai often participate in Autocross challenge.
. It is a combined sport-related individual and team challenges including distance running, High Ropes Course
, Mountain Climbing and Abseiling
, all done in the Jungle. The Mt. Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership (KESAL) held the inaugural Mountain Sports on October 22, 2011. The winners for the inaugural event were Benard Waweru - Men’s 21Km Senior Jungle Race while the Senior Women’s 21Km was won by the elite road runner Pauline Wangui. Sammy Ndungu won the Sky Marathon and The Kenya Methodist University
(KEMU) won the Extreme Adventure title. See Mountain Sport-Kenya
page for more details.
. The federation races/activities mainly take place at Moi International Sports Complex
, Kasarani. There are 3 to 4 competitions every annually including the federation held its nationals, held in Bomet
, Rift Valley (2011).
See Also:
Culture of Kenya
Kenya has no single culture that identifies it. With such diverse regional peoples such as the Swahili along the coast, several pastoralist communities mainly in the North and the different communities in Central and Western regions, having a mutually acceptable cultural identification is...
and as old as the archeological trivia of the trace of the origin of mankind. Various indigenous traditional sports have prevailed in Kenya as elements of culture and a way of life since the history of mankind. Some of the traditional games and sports prevalent in Kenya since antiquity included but not limited to, wrestling, racing exercises, stick fights, hunting (using spears and arrows), board games, bull fights, and dances.. Most modern sports in Kenya owes credit to the British colonial occupation of 1890
East Africa Protectorate
East Africa Protectorate was an area of East Africa occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to Uganda and the Great Rift Valley...
. Professional teams in form of clubs were formed by colonial British settlers and Asian contractors as early as 1922 before the establishment of formal schools. Sports were introduced in schools in 1925. The syllabi for teaching sport through physical training in schools (extracurricular activity) was produced in 1935. Football (soccer) and athletics (track and field) respectively were the first sports to be professionally organized. Today, many sports are popular in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, played both professionally and as recreational physical activities. Among the sports played in Kenya today include Athletics (track & field and other running events), Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Motor Sports, Association Football (Soccer), Rugby Football Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and Diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, Team Handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, Rounders
Rounders
Rounders is a game played between two teams of either gender. The game originated in England where it was played in Tudor times. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a round wooden, plastic or metal bat. The players score by...
, Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, Shooting, Softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, Bicycling, Martial Arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
(Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, Shotokan Karate, Goju Ryu Karate, Shorin Ryu Karate
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
, Kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
, Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, and Taekwondo), Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, Squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, Badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, Canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, Chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, Goal Ball, Horse Riding/Equestrianism
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, Polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
, Weightlifting
Weightlifting
Olympic Weightlifting, also called Olympic-style weightlifting, or weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic programme in which participants attempt a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates....
, Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, Archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, Roller Sports, and Mountain Sports - Kenya
Mountain Sports
Mountain Sport is the newest sport in Kenya. It is a combined sport-related challenges including running, High Ropes Course, mountain climbing, and Abseiling, all done in the Jungle. The Mt. Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership held the inaugural Mountain Sports on October 22, 2011. KESAL is...
. Globally, Kenya is mainly known for her dominance in middle-distance and long-distance
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
races.
Athletics (Track & Field and Running Events)
Athletics (track and field) was one of the two modern sports (together with football) to be formally organized in Kenya (See Athletics KenyaAthletics Kenya
Athletics Kenya is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Kenya. It is a member of the IAAF and Confederation of African Athletics. AK organises athletics competitions held in Kenya. It also sends Kenyan teams to international championships. Isaiah Kiplagat is the current chairman of...
page for history) around 1922. Kenya has regularly produced Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
champions in various distance events, especially in 800 m, 1,500 m, 3,000 m steeplechase, 5,000 m, 10,000 m and the marathons. Kenyan athletes (particularly Kalenjin) continue to dominate the world of distance running, although competition from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
has reduced this supremacy. Kenya's best-known athletes included the four-time women's Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
winner and two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Ndereba
Wincatherine Nyambura Ndereba is a Kenyan marathon runner. She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon...
, former Marathon world record-holder Paul Tergat
Paul Tergat
Paul Kibii Tergat is a Kenyan professional long distance runner. He held the world record in the marathon from 2003 to 2007, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.Now concentrating exclusively on the marathon, Tergat won many...
, and John Ngugi
John Ngugi
John Ngugi Kamau , is a former Kenyan athlete, often called one of the greatest cross country runners of all time and winner of the 5000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
.
Track Events
Kenya won several medals during the Beijing Olympics, 6 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze, making it Africa's most successful Nation in the 2008 Olympics. New athletes gained attention, such as Pamela JelimoPamela Jelimo
Pamela Jelimo is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot...
, the women's 800m gold medalist who went ahead to win the Golden League
IAAF Golden League
The IAAF Golden League was an annual series of track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
jackpot, and Samuel Wanjiru
Samuel Wanjiru
Samuel Kamau Wanjiru was a Kenyan athlete, who specialized in long distance running. He became a professional at a young age and broke the world record in the half marathon when he was 18 years old...
who won the men's marathon.
Field Events
Retired Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion Kipchoge KeinoKipchoge Keino
Kipchoge Keino , chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee , is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist...
helped usher in Kenya's ongoing distance dynasty 1970s and was followed by Commonwealth Champion Henry Rono
Henry Rono
Henry Rono is a Kenyan former athlete.-Biography:Rono was born in Nandi Hills, Kenya, into the Nandi tribe. He started running while at primary school. Starting in 1976 he attended the Washington State University, along with his compatriot Samson Kimobwa, who broke the 10,000 meter world record in...
's spectacular string of world record performances.
Change of Nationality
Lately, there has been controversy in Kenyan athletics circles, with the defection of a number of Kenyan athletes to represent other countries, chiefly BahrainBahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. The Kenyan Ministry of Sports has tried to stop the defections, but they have continued anyway, with Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
the latest, choosing to represent the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Most of these defections occur because of economic or financial factors however some elite Kenyan runners who cannot qualify for their country's strong national team also find it easier to qualify by running for other countries.
Football (Soccer)
Football is the most popular spectator sport in Kenya. Kenya was a regional power in soccer but its dominance has been eroded by wrangles within the Kenya Football FederationKenya Football Federation
The Kenya Football Federation was the governing body of football in Kenya. It was founded in 1960 and affiliated to FIFA same year. It organized the Kenya Premier League and the Kenya national football team...
. This has led to a suspension by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
which was lifted in March, 2007.
Rugby union
Kenya is making a name for itself in rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. It is popular in Kenya especially with the annual Safari Sevens
Safari Sevens
The Safari Sevens, known as the Safaricom Sevens after main sponsors Safaricom is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in Kenya. The tournament is run by the Kenya Rugby Football Union...
tournament. Kenya sevens team
Kenya national rugby union team (sevens)
The Kenya national rugby union sevens team compete in the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens. They are currently one of the 12 "core teams" of the IRB Sevens, with a guaranteed place in all eight events each season....
ranked 9th in IRB Sevens World Series for the 2006 season.
see also:
- Rugby union in KenyaRugby union in KenyaRugby union is a popular sport in Kenya, in particular due to the success of the Kenyan Sevens Team in the rugby sevens format, and tournaments such as the Safari Sevens, which has been growing yearly, and now includes numerous international teams....
- Kenya Rugby Football UnionKenya Rugby Football UnionKenya Rugby Football Union is the governing body of Rugby Union in Kenya. It organises Kenyan national teams and various competitions. It is a member of the International Rugby Board....
- Kenya national rugby union teamKenya national rugby union teamThe Kenya national rugby union team is the Kenyan national team in Rugby. it is controlled by the Kenya Rugby Football Union.The team participates Confederation of African Rugby tournaments, but has never qualified for the Rugby World Cup....
- Kenya women's national rugby union teamKenya women's national rugby union teamThe Kenya women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Kenya, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 2006.-Results summary:-Results:...
- Kenya national rugby union team (sevens)Kenya national rugby union team (sevens)The Kenya national rugby union sevens team compete in the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens. They are currently one of the 12 "core teams" of the IRB Sevens, with a guaranteed place in all eight events each season....
- Rugby Football Union of East AfricaRugby Football Union of East AfricaThe Rugby Football Union of East Africa is an umbrella union for the Kenya Rugby Football Union, Tanzania Rugby Football Union and Uganda Rugby Football Union. It owes its existence to the fact that, prior to independence, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were either a protectorate or mandate of the...
- East Africa rugby union teamEast Africa rugby union teamEstablished in 1950, The East Africa rugby union team is a multi-national rugby union team drawing players from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, though the vast majority of these came from Kenya which has traditionally been the strongest rugby playing nation in this part of the world...
- Rugby league in KenyaRugby league in KenyaDuring the 1990s attempts were made to introduce the sport of rugby league to Kenya. As of 2005 there is no evidence that the game still being played there.-History:...
Volleyball
Kenya has also been a dominant force in ladies' volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
within Africa, with both the clubs and the national team winning various continental championships in the past decade. The women's team has also competed at the Olympics and World Championships
Volleyball World Championship
The FIVB World Championship is an international men's and women's indoor volleyball competition. It is the oldest and most important of all the international events organized by the FIVB and must not be confused with the FIVB World Cup or the FIVB World League/FIVB World Grand Prix.-Origins:The...
but without any notable success.
Cricket
Cricket is another popular and the most successful team sport. KenyaKenyan cricket team
The Kenya national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Kenya in international cricket matches. They are considered one of the strongest of the associate member nations of the International Cricket Council, especially since reaching the semi-final of the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
has competed in the Cricket World Cup
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
since 1996
1996 Cricket World Cup
The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup after its official sponsors, was the sixth edition of the tournament organized by the International Cricket Council . It was the second World Cup to be hosted by Pakistan and India, and for the first time by Sri Lanka...
. They upset some of the World's best teams and reached semi-finals of the 2003 tournament
2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
. They also won the inaugural World Cricket League Division 1 hosted in Nairobi and participated in the World T20. Their current captain is Steve Tikolo
Steve Tikolo
- Career :He is a right-handed middle order batsman and part time right-arm medium pace bowler. He bowls quite effective offspin in the shorter form of the game. Tikolo has previously represented Border in South African domestic cricket and has also spent time playing in England and Bangladesh...
.
Motor Sports
Motor sports in Kenya are governed by the Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF). KMSF is affiliated to various world motor sports governing bodies including the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) that governs motorcycle racing, and the Federation of International Automobile (FIA) an association that oversees motoring organizations, motor car users, and organizes World Rally Championships (WRC).Rallying
The first professional motor sport in Kenya, the East African Coronation Safari was organized in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronationCoronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was the ceremony in which the newly ascended monarch, Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth...
on June 2, 1953. The annual rally was renamed the East African Safari Rally from 1954 to 1975 and the Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
from 1975 to date. The 13-stage Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
was included in the inaugural FIA organized World Rally Championships (WRC) as the fourth round of the 13 rounds that comprised the WRC
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
rally season in 1973. Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan is one of Kenya's most successful rally drivers. He was Kenyan Rally Champion six times , and achieved outright victory in a World Rally Championship round when he won the 42nd Trustbank Safari Rally in 1994...
is the only Kenyan to ever win a WRC round, the Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
in 1994. The African Rally Championship
African Rally Championship
The African Rally Championship is an international automobile rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1981 and won by Shekhar Mehta...
(ARC) is a regional body of FIA and runs an annual rally season with eight rounds in eight different countries (Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
) from March to November, except in October. The Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
was acknowledged as one of the toughest rallies in the world. The Kenyan legend, Shekhar Mehta
Shekhar Mehta
Chandrashekhar "Shekhar" Mehta was a Ugandan-born Kenyan rally driver. He won the Safari Rally a record five times , including four consecutively, and in 1981 finished fifth in the World Rally Championship...
/Nissan won the ARC inaugural season (1981) while Davis Horsey/Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
was the last Kenyan to win ARC in 1984. Locally, the Kenya National Rally Champion is selected from the points accumulated in several KCB
Kenya Commercial Bank
Kenya Commercial Bank is a financial services provider headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. , it was among the three largest commercial banks in Kenya with assets of more than US$2.65 billion , and shareholders capital valued at US$486 million . The other two large Kenyan commercial banks are Barclays...
sponsored rounds. Ian Duncan is the 2011 KNR Champion. Patrick Njiru
Patrick Njiru
Patrick Njiru is a Kenyan Rally Driver with Subaru World Rally Team from 1983 to 2002. He has so far retired from competitive racing but often take part in organizing and competing in Charity Races like the November 2011, Race4Change in Kenya.-References:...
/David Williamson was the first African driver to win the Kenya National Rally Championship . He raced competitively last in 2002 before retiring from competitive racing. Njiru however continued to organize and participate in charity races. Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan is one of Kenya's most successful rally drivers. He was Kenyan Rally Champion six times , and achieved outright victory in a World Rally Championship round when he won the 42nd Trustbank Safari Rally in 1994...
is the most successful rally drivers in Kenya that continues to feature in various motor races to date. His Résumé
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
is as follows: 1) The only Kenyan to win a WRC round (the 42nd Trust Bank Safari Rally, 1994), 2) He has won Kenyan Rally Championship six times (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2000, and 2011), 3) He won the East African Classic Safari Rally in 2009 (racing in the same race in November, 2011), 4) He has won Guru Nanak Rally Championship 11 times, and 5) He won the Motorsport personality of the year 2010!
Prominent Kenyan-born legend drivers at the WRC series: Joginder Singh
Joginder Singh (rally driver)
Sardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.-Career:The eldest of ten children...
(1973-1980), Shekhar Mehta
Shekhar Mehta
Chandrashekhar "Shekhar" Mehta was a Ugandan-born Kenyan rally driver. He won the Safari Rally a record five times , including four consecutively, and in 1981 finished fifth in the World Rally Championship...
(1973-1987), Patrick Njiru
Patrick Njiru
Patrick Njiru is a Kenyan Rally Driver with Subaru World Rally Team from 1983 to 2002. He has so far retired from competitive racing but often take part in organizing and competing in Charity Races like the November 2011, Race4Change in Kenya.-References:...
(1983-1998), and Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan
Ian Duncan is one of Kenya's most successful rally drivers. He was Kenyan Rally Champion six times , and achieved outright victory in a World Rally Championship round when he won the 42nd Trustbank Safari Rally in 1994...
(1983-1999).
Other significant rally drivers in Kenya today: Carl Tundo, Azar Anwar, Lee Rose
Lee Rose
Lee Rose is an American basketball coach. He was a college basketball coach in the 1970s and 1980s, and an assistant coach in the NBA into the 2000s.-Collegiate career:...
, Jas Mangat, and Ben Muchemi.
Some of the KNRC two-wheel drivers: James Kirimi, Patrick Kibara, Joe Muchiri, Adnan Suhail, and Niaz Bashir.
Motocross
In Kenya, motocrossMotocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
has the largest athlete pool among all motor sports. There are six categories in motocross: MX50, MX65, MX85, MX125, MX2, and the open class, MX1. Some of elite Kenya Motocross riders include Shivam Vinayak
Shivam Vinayak
Shivam Vinayak is a three-time Motocross champion in Kenya ....
, Charles Mugo, Cruze Muigai, Anthony Nielsen, Mohammed Anwar, and Tutu Maina. Shivam is the most decorated motocross rider in Kenya with titles such as the MXI National Champion, FIM Central African Motocross Champion, and the Kenyan Motorcycle Cross-Country Champion. On August 28, 2011 during FIM Africa Motocross Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, Kenya was represented by three riders (Tutu Maina (MX125), Dekker Kihara (MX50), and Rolf Kihara (MX65) and finished 4th out of the six countries represented. In October 14-16, 2011, Kenya hosted the FIM Africa Cross Country Bike and Quad
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
Team Championships in the scenic Soysambu Conservancy in Nakuru.
Enduros and Cross-Country
Kenya has annual EnduroEnduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
championships such as National Enduro Championship, JCB/Ganatra Plant and Equipment Cross Country Rally Challenge. Kenya also takes part in the FIM Africa Enduro Championships. Shivam Vinayak
Shivam Vinayak
Shivam Vinayak is a three-time Motocross champion in Kenya ....
is one of the Kenya’s most elite Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
biker who also doubles up in motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
. Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
championships also attract the four-wheeler quad bikes also known as All Terrain Vehicles (ATV
ATV
-In broadcasting:*Amateur television*Analog television*ATV , the NBC affiliate in Aruba.*ATV , Austrian TV station*ATV Home, major Cantonese-language TV station *ATV Jordan*ATV *ATV Madiun*ATV...
) with elite riders such as the defending champion Shazar Anwar, Murage Waigwa, Abid Ganatra, and Gurraj Singh. Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
also welcomes Buggy Racing attracting some experienced rallying drivers such as Ian Duncan and Samir Khan.
Autocross
Both rally cars and buggies compete in AutocrossAutocross
Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course on either sealed or unsealed surfaces...
in Kenya. The major championship is the National Autocross Championship. Keith Henrie is the 2011 National Autocross champion. Other autocross athletes in Kenya include Charles Mugo, Samir Khan, and Rajbir Rai. Rally drivers such as the legend Ben Muchemi and his compatriots Stella Macharia and Onkar Rai often participate in Autocross challenge.
Grand Prix Karting
This is the last category of motor racing in Kenya. The Kenyan Grand Prix Karting uses go-karts for leisure races, a 500m race. The Karting organizers welcomes individuals, corporate, and schools to various competitions. Karting in Kenya however mainly focus fun and motor race experience.Swimming and Diving
Kenya has achieved great success in swimming considering it is an individual sport.Target Shooting
Although Kenya has sent shooters to the Olympic Games since 1956 (with interruptions), the discipline has remained a minority sport. Since the 1970s, Kenya's shooters are now distributed among approximately half African and half Indian. Famous past champions and Olympians are rifle shooter John Harun Mwau (now politician) and pistol shooter Shuaib Adam. The first Kenyan female ISSF shooters have now been seen abroad at the Commonwealth Games 2010. The sport suffers from underfunding, lack of clubs, lack of coaches and an outdated firearms law, but has a modern range in Nairobi, and significant grass-roots talent that is not yet properly developed.Mountain Sports
Mountain Sport is the newest sport in KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is a combined sport-related individual and team challenges including distance running, High Ropes Course
Ropes course
A ropes course is a challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity which usually consists of high and/or low elements. Low elements take place on the ground or only a few feet above the ground...
, Mountain Climbing and Abseiling
Abseiling
Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
, all done in the Jungle. The Mt. Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership (KESAL) held the inaugural Mountain Sports on October 22, 2011. The winners for the inaugural event were Benard Waweru - Men’s 21Km Senior Jungle Race while the Senior Women’s 21Km was won by the elite road runner Pauline Wangui. Sammy Ndungu won the Sky Marathon and The Kenya Methodist University
Kenya Methodist University
The Kenya Methodist University is a Chartered private University founded by the Methodist Church in Kenya. It is situated within woodland on the North Eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, five kilometers from Meru Town...
(KEMU) won the Extreme Adventure title. See Mountain Sport-Kenya
Mountain Sports
Mountain Sport is the newest sport in Kenya. It is a combined sport-related challenges including running, High Ropes Course, mountain climbing, and Abseiling, all done in the Jungle. The Mt. Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership held the inaugural Mountain Sports on October 22, 2011. KESAL is...
page for more details.
Roller Sports
Roller sports, mainly skatting in Kenya are governed the Roller Sports Kenya Federation (RSKF). The federation was founded in 1997 and organizes various race categories such as roller speed skating, roller hockey , aggressive skating, and freestyle skating. KSKF is affiliated to the International Roller Sports FederationInternational Roller Sports Federation
The International Roller Sports Federation or Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports is the world governing body for roller sports, including rink hockey, inline hockey, Inline speed skating and artistic roller skating...
. The federation races/activities mainly take place at Moi International Sports Complex
Moi International Sports Centre
Moi International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose stadium in Kasarani, outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The stadium holds 60,000. It was built in 1987 for the All-Africa Games held in Nairobi. It is currently used mostly for football matches, the Kenya national football team plays most of its home...
, Kasarani. There are 3 to 4 competitions every annually including the federation held its nationals, held in Bomet
Bomet
Bomet is a city in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is the capital of Bomet District. Bomet has an urban population of 4426 and a total population of 42,024 . It is located along the B3 road between Nairobi and Kisii via Narok....
, Rift Valley (2011).
See Also:
- FIRS Official Website:http://www.rollersports.org/RollerSports/content/index.html