Kenya has signed a deal with a city based in France which is part of the country’s preparations towards the Paris 2024 Olympics. This came as 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala set a new national record.
The National Olympic Committee Kenya (NOC-K) in a statement on February 3,2024 revealed that the partnership will see the French city host Kenyan athletes during the sporting extravaganza.
“Last night history was made as we put pen to paper on our partnership with the City of Miramas as the home for Team Kenya in preparation towards Paris 2024 Olympics,” read part of the statement.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by NOC-K President Paul Tergat and the City of Miramas Mayor Frederic Vigouroux.
Also present were Ministry of Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba and the Mayor of Salon de Provence Nicolas Isnard.
“The CS Sports Ababu Namwamba was present signifying the government’s support in the partnership as Key funders of TeamKenya to Paris 2024,” added NOC-K.
Following the signing of the MoU, the Miramas Metropole Silver meeting competition took place at the same venue where Kenyan sprinters were kickstarting their season.
Omanyala sets record
100m Commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala set a new National Record in the 60m race, clocking a remarkable time of 6.52seconds.
Omanyala achieved the fete as he won the Meeting Miramas Metropole beating perennial challenger Cote d’Ivoire’s Arthur Cisse.
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The Kenyan sprinter and Africa’s fastest man achieved both his personal best (PB) and meeting record in which was his first race out of the country this year.
In what was also his first major race of 2024, Omanyala avenged for last year’s loss to Cisse at the same competition.
Cameroon’s Emmanuel-Alobwede Eseme came second, clocking and 6.61 seconds while Cisse finished 0.01 seconds later in third position.
Also, 400m athletes Wiseman Were, Boniface Mweresa and 100m sprinters Mark Otieno and Tyson Juma went on to run PBs in the meet.
Omanyala is also set to take part in the Meeting Indoor De Paris on February 11 and compete at the World Indoor Games in Glasgow, Scotland, between March 1 to 3.
Kenya in Olympics
Perhaps the pinnacle of sporting events, the Olympics return in 2024, taking center stage from July 26 to August 11 in France.
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With Paris as the main host city and 16 others across France, the Paris 2024 Olympics promise an unparalleled spectacle of summer and winter sports competitions.
NOC-Kenya has already selected two-time Olympic winner Eliud Kipchoge and World Marathon Record holder Kelvin Kiptum as part of Kenya’s Paris 2024 Olympics team.
The two were named in the first provisional squad of twenty men and women marathoners.
Also, Kenya national volleyball team Malkia Strikers and men’s rugby team Shujaa 7s have already booked their places in the sporting extravaganza.
