Following on the heels of Kenya’s considerable achievements at the African Athletics Championship, and Kenya's 2011 historical political success (A New Constitution... Implementation, naturally, will take another 2011 years), my thoughts on things to look forward to this year have led me to ponder on, not the national elections (it was recently announced that we now have... a Republican party. SERIOUSLY.) but the international great event of the year -the London Olympics.
Now, it has always grated me that when the words 'Kenya' and 'Sport' are added together, the result is "Running." So much so, I have sat and Googled the official Olympian events of 2012, and looked for specific sports that Kenyans should perhaps begin to think about getting involved in. This wouldn't only be to broaden our perspectives and prospects... but truthfully too, because, in recent years, our only event, "Running" has been increasingly overtaken by smaller, more wiry, and seemingly ever-enduring fellow Africans, notably our Ethiopian neighbors -both in women's and men's events. Quite embarrassing.
So, I see from my research that both baseball and softball have been crossed off the list of set Olympian events in London, bring them down to 26. Out of these, I quickly discarded... well, all of them, except Athletics. But in this category alone, there is much space for improvement. Whereas I honestly don't expect a Mr Hussein Bolt Olympics Onyango of our own (out with the 100 m), I do think we might have a chance with the 200 m. I have personally witnessed a matatu tout perform a Superman-like run for the van door when, distracted for a moment, he hasn't noticed that the driver has taken off. Those were definitely 200 m covered –and in about three seconds.
The marathons, 400 -10,000 m races, 400 m hurdles and 3000m steeplechase I'll just claim as 'Kenyan', since consistently excellent performances in these events are the very thing that have given birth the horrid equation above. Beyond these, however, there are the 'Walking' events. You know, the ones where the contestants look like they're struggling to get out of the tightest pair of jeans in the world, while trying to move forward? I don't know why a Kenyan couldn't do this as well as anyone else. The events are 20 km and 50 km races –but many a Kenyan has walked that far. Kenyans have long been feted for their power of endurance, during the 'Running' -so what's a little more?
Now we get a little more adventurous -there are the 'Long' and 'Triple' Jumps. I happen to believe that these are events Kenyans could potentially excel in, given the long established practice since childhood of jumping over puddles of rain (long jump) and away from Dad's punishment stick (triple, sometimes quadruple jump), or the potential embrace of an in-law (both)... You know, the usual. Shouldn't Kenyan athletes give these events a chance?
Next we have the 'Throws'. I am not so much interested in the either the Shot Put or Hammer throws -but the Javelin, which seems to me tailor-made for the tall, proud and very able Maasai. Definitely something to consider.
At this point, if we're feeling terribly adventurous, I'll admit that I hadn't really discarded all of the other events from my list, and will now venture to suggest the others that I considered. Naturally, there is absolutely no chance of a Kenyan Gold Medal for any of the following: swimming, sailing, rowing, wrestling, weightlifting or boxing... or table tennis, for that matter, among others. I happen to believe though, that Kenyans could well take a stab (pardon the pun) at Fencing. For some reason, a stick seems to be very comforting to the Kenyan hand. Little boys in the village, security and police persons, Maasai, students and others all have their version of one. It is used to point, probe, question, demand, intimidate and tickle -and occasionally, if a very small one, to clean teeth with. Bar the last activity, these are the very fundamentals of Fencing. Just a suggestion.
...And since we've come this far, I'll add my final, and perfectly serious suggestion for consideration: Archery. Granted, Kenyans have mostly worked with home-made bows and arrows... but what is there that a lot of dedication and a little practice cannot accomplish? If the Constitutional Referendum exercise showed Kenyans anything, it is certainly that.
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