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Nairobi, August 19, 2009

First Lady congratulates Kenyan athletes

Her Excellency the First Lady Mama Lucy Kibaki has commended Kenyan women athletes for their splendid and outstanding performance in the ongoing Beijing Olympic Games.

In a personal message the First Lady said, ‘Congratulations on your wonderful win. I watched you run and I jumped up with joy. I saw our country getting back to its rightful place of pride, fame and dignity. Girls you made me very proud, you have made all the Kenyan girls, women and children proud of you. You are very good and we love you very much. For the boys you also made my heart think of the other youth in our country. I want all of them to be like you, to love their country, be ambitious and take sports very seriously. Again congratulations and thank you.’

‘You have done us proud, and won medals not just for yourselves but for Kenya and brought glory to our nation. His Excellency President Mwai Kibaki also shares in this great joy and sends his congratulations,’ Said the First Lady who watched the athletes run while in the company of her grandchildren.’

The First Lady noted that for the first time in Kenya’s history a woman athlete had won a gold medal and it was more remarkable that Pamela Jelimo had taken first place in the very competitive 800 metres, while Janeth Jepkosgei won silver.

‘At 18 years, Jelimo showed that she had a truly competitive spirit, by outpacing the more experienced athletes to give Kenya her first gold medal in this year’s Olympic games and the first ever gold medal by a woman athlete.’ Said the First Lady.

‘The victory of the Kenyans yesterday was a great addition to the medals won by Catherine Ndereba and Eunice Jepkorir on Sunday, and I would also like to heartily congratulate them for their sterling performance. I am confident that Ndereba would have done even better were it not for the crowded field and lack of awareness that there was an athlete ahead of her.’ Said the First Lady.

The First Lady also congratulated Brimin Kipruto and Richard Mateelong for their victories that saw Kenya continue its historic dominance of the 3,000 steeplechase. She also commended Micah Kogo for winning a bronze medal in the men’s 10,000 metres.

She also hailed the stewardship of Hon. Hellen Sambili, the Minister for Youth and Sports, noting that the Minister had injected vigor and good leadership skills in the run-up to the games and the high moral at the Kenyan Olympic village in Beijing.

‘To Prof. Sambili, I say a job well done lady, keep it up, encourage the youth all the way. I am with you always, come back with more and more medals and thank you.

The First Lady wished the Kenyan team great successes in the upcoming events.