Mrs Kenyatta’s participation in London Marathon signals importance of humility

By Sean cardovillis

Elite marathon runners from left to right, Florence Kiplagat, Edna Kiplagat, Priscah Jeptoo, Tiki Gelana and Tirunesh Dibaba, both from Ethiopia, perform jog during a photocall on April 10.  [PHOTO: AP]

There was more shock and drama in last weekend’s matches of the Kenya Premier League. Supersport commentator Herbert Mwachiro is also the local football analyst on my radio show on Easy FM and has the latest:

Supersport commentator Herbert Mwachiro is also the local football analyst on my ‘Saturday Sport’ show on Easy FM, and has the latest:

For defending champions Gor Mahia there was finally good news for their notoriously impatient fans.

Gor’s win against Ulinzi was the first-ever time they’ve won in Nakuru, although Ulinzi have now not won at home in the league since August last year.

Sofapaka avenged their defeat in the top 8 the week before by breaking Tusker’s unbeaten league record, whilst AFC Leopards remain a team in turmoil and newly promoted Kenya Revenue Authority are the surprise team of the season in 7th place.

This weekend sees Top 8 action in Machakos.

Managerless KCB face Ulinzi today, whilst tomorrow Gor face a difficult tie against Thika, whom are something of a bogey team.

Speaking of Gor, their under 19 team who played Italy’s under 20s yesterday, compete in the Nairobi County League, so it looks like the future is rosy for players looking to graduate to the senior side.

This long weekend sees the official testing of the new S2000 Proton rally cars of Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo and Alistair Cavenagh behind the Ngong Hills, as they prepare the new-for-Kenya competition vehicles for their debut in next weekend’s KCB Home Loan Kiambu Rally.

Cars For A Spin

Speaking to Cavanagh this week, a special team of mechanics from Proton are in the country to show the drivers and their team all aspects of the car, which is significantly different from the production-based Group N cars that dominate the Kenya National Rally Championship.

Even though the cars have a restricted top speed of just under 190kph, the purpose-built rally cars have a much stronger frame and will be more nimble in twisty and tight stages.

As mentioned in this column a fortnight ago: Kenya will be the first country in the African Continent to show off the new Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 car.

 It is fitted with a 1.8 litre engine, with racing internals — increasing to the capacity to 1998cc.

It is positioned transversely and produces a power output of 278bhp at 7600 rpm.

The weight is 1150 Kg for the tarmac version and 1200 Kg for the gravel version.

The transmission is a four-wheel-drive system, specifically developed by X-Trac for S2000 models, which use a six-speed sequential gearbox with three plated limited slip differentials, and handbrake release system.

Look out for Tundo and Cavanagh in the new Protons from next Saturday at the Rallye Sports Club KCB Home Loan Kiambu Rally.

Congrats To The First lady

Social media loves to bring out the best in sarcasm from Kenyans on Twitter (KOT), and this was proven yet again by the remarkable achievement of First Lady Margaret Kenyatta in last Sunday’s London Marathon.

Mrs Kenyatta had turned 50-years-old a few days before the event, and despite her completing the full distance and creating history by virtue of her position as the wife of the President of Kenya, a sizable percentage of Kenyans ran to social media to pour scorn, rather than appreciate what she had accomplished for charity, both as a mother and as First Lady.

There are times we need to step back and think of the positives for once!

So what if there was a contingent that travelled with her?

So what if the President took a break from his duties to receive his wife at the finish line?

 These are unprecedented times in the country as we’ve not seen such a young, relatively open and down-to-earth First Family, and I for one am in awe with what Mrs Kenyatta has achieved in her short tenure as First Lady.

Keep it up and I may just join you on your next run!

Simbas XVs Learning Curve

Another weekend, another loss for the Tusker Simbas XVs in the Vodacom Cup; this time a crushing defeat against the Natal Sharks, with the Kenyans only managing three points.

This really proves the gulf in class and standards between rugby in South Africa and Kenya.

Yes, South Africa is a superpower: twice World Champions, and having the best club sides in the Super Rugby championship.

However our national team struggling in the third tier competition (behind Super Rugby and the Currie Cup) shows that the Kenya Rugby Union has a lot of work to do both on and off the pitch.

Let’s hope that lessons havebeen learned ahead of the team’s forthcoming two World Cup qualification matches.

— The writer is a sport journalist and runs a consulting firm.

–– [email protected]

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