NAIROBI, Kenya, April 19 – Teenager Chrispinus Onyango was the hero as struggling KCB sailed to semi-finals of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Top 8 after gunning down favoured Ulinzi Stars 2-1 in a thrilling encounter staged at Machakos Kenyatta Stadium on Saturday.

Onyango who was in KCB’s Under-19 squad last year scored the first and set up the second for Paul Kiongera to turn up a man-of-the-match performance as stand-in coach Daniel Olouch enjoyed victory on his debut, the first for the Bankers in ten outings this season.

The budding striker struck first in the 23rd minute before laying the ball to his partner, Kiongera to net the second a minute from time as substitute Allan Abulala halved the deficit in added time for the final score.

KCB stemmed a miserable run that saw them fire their head coach Abdallah Juma on Tuesday as Robert Matano in the Ulinzi dugout saw his grip on the Top 8 trophy he won last year with Tusker slip from his grasp.

“This is a platform we can use for our next matches. We won today because I told the players to believe in themselves and if they do that, we are capable of doing as well as last year when we finished fourth.

“We set out to allow Ulinzi to attack us and hit them at the counter and the strategy worked. Chrispinus did well in our Under-19 team last season and he can work well with Kiongera to give us the goals as they did today,” Oluoch, who expressed his interest on succeeding Abdallah on permanent basis underscored post-match.

“I do not have a proper striker and we need to get players who can finish the chances we created soon. For now, I will work with what I have but we did not play well today. The spirit in the team is good since I came here, that is not a problem,” Matano rued.

Oluoch rested regular keeper Sammy Okinda and preferred to start with Zachary Onyango who was instrumental as the Bankers dominated the first-half in terms of chances on goal as Ulinzi monopolised possession.

KCB threatened after six minutes when Onyango beat defender Geoffrey Kokoyo in the box only for him to blast over before Kiongera missed a one-on-one chance four minutes later after he failed to beat keeper Francis Ochieng with his hurriedly taken shot.

The former on-loan Gor Mahia forward was at it again in the 23rd, taking the advantage of Kokoyo who failed to clear the danger in the 18 yard box but again he pulled his shot wide.

The Banker’s efforts were rewarded two minutes later through Onyango who beat the offside trap to take full advantage of slack defending after referee Davis Omweno waved play on after Kiongera was fouled to slot the ball through Ochieng’s leg with a deft shot.

Ulinzi piled pressure looking for the equaliser with Kevin Amwayi coming close twice through his long-range shots but KCB enjoyed the first-half lead.

KCB were dealt with a huge blow in the 52nd when custodian Onyango got injured while attempting to make a clearance and Caleb Adola to replace him as the pattern from the first half manifested itself in the second with Ulinzi having more of the ball.

Ulinzi custodian Ochieng was booked for a harsh tackle on Kiongera five minutes later for a free-kick at the edge of the box but the latter’s shot was deflected out for a fruitless corner.

After attempting for several occasions, Kiongera finally found the back of the net one minute to full-time but it was thanks to another telling contribution from the teenager.

After the referee waved the advantage, Onyango left Amos Mwamburi trailing in his wake despite his best efforts to halt his run after a poor back pass and from a tight angle, he fed Kiongera who wrapped an instinctive left foot strike to the net for 2-0.

With seven minutes of added time indicated by fourth official, Peter Waweru, the Bankers had not wrapped the job and were made to endure a nervy five minutes when in the next attack, Abulala heading in a Stephen Waruru cross for 2-1.

Kiongera had the chance to wrap up the match when in a counter attack, he evaded three flailing Ulinzi defenders but could not fashion a finish, his hesitancy allowing them to regroup and hack clear but the damage had already been done.

KCB now joins defending champions Tusker FC and AFC Leopards in the two legged semi-final set to run from next weekend.

The tournament continues on Sunday when league champions Gor lock horns with plucky Thika United at the same venue.

BOSTON, April 19- Defending champions Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia and Rita Jeptoo of Kenya are among a host of past winners in Monday’s 118th Boston Marathon, all mindful of last year’s bombing tragedy.

Two bombs hidden inside backpacks exploded near the finish line of last year’s race, killing three people and injuring more than 250 others, leading to tighter security at marathons worldwide.

But it also sparked a “Boston Strong” movement, celebrating those who battled back from injuries and a city’s determination to bounce back, a spirit to which baseball’s Boston Red Sox dedicated their 2013 World Series crown.

“Runners, we get knocked down, we have to come back,” said four-time Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers. “It’s just like what happened with the bombing. You can’t keep marathoners down.”

Rodgers will serve as the grand marshal of the event, although a hamstring strain suffered two weeks ago will keep him from running the 26.2 miles.

“After the bombing last year, I wanted to run Boston this year,” he said. “I was in pretty good shape for an old timer at 66.”

Other past Boston Marathon greats return to join this year’s field of 36,000 runners, including 56-year-old Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1979 and 1983 Boston women’s winner and 1984 Olympic champion.

“Because of what happened last year and because it’s the 30th anniversary of (winning the) Olympic marathon, I’m here for a myriad of reasons,” she said. “I’m either going to run as hard as I possibly can or I’ll run with my daughter or son.”

Amby Burfoot, 67 and the only man to win a Boston Marathon and Olympic Marathon, was unable to finish last year’s race due to the bombings but is back to finish this time.

- Shock and horror -

And then there are the elite runners, whose race last year was over before the explosions that brought shock and horror but whose efforts set the pace this year for the determined thousands who will follow.

Desisa, trying to be the first repeat Boston men’s winner since 2008, won last year in two hours, 10 minutes and 22 seconds, five seconds ahead of runner-up Micah Kogo of Kenya and six ahead of countryman Gebre Gebremariam.

Last year’s Dubai champion was second at the 2013 world championships last August in his only marathon since Boston, although he captured a half-marathon triumph two months ago in the United Arab Emirates.

Reigning Chicago Marathon champion Dennis Kimetto set a course record and personal best of 2:03:45 last year in the Windy City but his best runs have come on flatter courses rather than the hilly layout Boston offers.

Kogo was fourth at Chicago in addition to second at Boston last year and Gebremariam has not won since his 2010 New York triumph, his first bid at the distance.

Other hopefuls include Ethiopia’s Markos Geneti, the Dubai Marathon runner-up last Janaury in 2:05:13 who last won in his marathon debut at Los Angeles in 2011, and Kenya’s Wilson Chebet, a three-time Amsterdam winner and former Rotterdam champion who was fifth in 2012 in his only prior Boston start.

On the women’s side, Jeptoo, 33, won last year at Chicago as well, trimming her personal best to 2:19:57. Her training partner, compatriot Jemima Sumgong, was second at Chicago last year and in Boston in 2012 by only two seconds and might be ready for victory this time around.

Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, who went to China and won the Xiamen Marathon earlier this year for her first title at the distance, and 2013 New York Marathon runner-up Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia, figure to contend.

Kenya’s Sharon Cherop, the 2012 Boston winner, and compatriot Caroline Kilel, the 2011 Boston champion, could challenge once again.

And Shalane Flanagan will try to become the first American woman to win at Boston since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985 after a fourth-place showing last year in her Boston debut.

BOSTON, April 21- Rita Jeptoo defended her Boston Marathon championship by blazing over the Boylston Street finish line in a course record to capture her third overall title.

There was to be no Kenyan double after veteran Meb Keflezighi, 38, became the first American man to win Boston since Greg Meyerin 1983.

Keflezighi finished in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 37 seconds with Kenyan duo, Wilson Chebet (2:08:48) and Franklin Chepkwony (2:08:50) trailing each other close for second and third.

Jeptoo won the race in 2:18:56, seven minutes, 29 seconds ahead of her winning time from a year ago. Besides last year, the 33-year-old also won the race in 2006.

Jeptoo broke away from the pack after the 22nd mile and then proceeded to blow the group away. At mile 24, she ran an unbelievable 4:48 split.

Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba finished second in a blistering 2:19:59.

American Shalane Flanagan thrilled the massive crowds by leading for most of the race.

The Marblehead native was in the lead up to the 30K mark, but then slowly faded from the lead pack that included Ethiopians Mare Dibaba, Meselech Malkamu, Buzunesh Deba, and Kenyan Jemima Jelegat Sumgong.

An American woman has not won the race since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach did it in 1985.

In one of the most memorable victories in Boston Marathon history, Keflezighi became the first American man since 1983 to wear the laurel wreath.

With the backdrop of so much tragedy, in front of many of those gravely wounded in last year’s attacks, Keflezighi raised his arms in victory as he crossed the finish line at 2:08:37.

He looked up to the sky, then kissed the ground three times. He took a bow, then emotion won out as he put his hands over his face and broke into tears.

Keflezighi’s win was entirely unexpected. Turning 39 next month, his best days seemed to be in his past, especially given the Kenyan stronghold on the race.

Since 1991, a runner from Kenya has won the men’s race 19 times.

Keflezighi was cheered by massive crowds from Hopkinton to Boylston Street wearing a red and white top and blue shorts. He’s the first American man to win in Boston since Greg A. Meyer in 2:09:00 in 1983.

Keflezighi was born in the African nation of Eritrea but immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 12 and lives in San Diego with his wife and three daughters.

Keflezighi didn’t race last year but was in the stands, leaving only about five minutes before the bombs went off. Today Keflezighi, a three-time Olympian, returned to the same spot and gave the city a reason to cheer.

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist won his last major marathon at the Olympic trials in 2012. He also won the New York marathon in 2009.

Keflezighi broke away from Josphat Boit, an American runner who was born in Kenya, midway through the race. By mile 17, Keflezighi had a minute lead over the pack that included defending champion Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia.

LEADING RESULTS
MEN

1 19 Keflezighi, Meb 2:08:37 USA
2 7 Chebet, Wilson 2:08:48 KEN
3 11 Chepkwony, Frankline 2:08:50 KEN
4 23 Shafar, Vitaliy 2:09:37 UKR
5 5 Geneti, Markos 2:09:50 ETH
6 16 Kimurer, Joel 2:11:03 KEN
7 22 Arciniaga, Nicholas 2:11:47 USA
8 24 Eggleston, Jeffrey 2:11:57 USA
9 15 Lonyangata, Paul 2:12:34 KEN
10 14 Annani, Adil 2:12:43 MAR

WOMEN
1 F1 Jeptoo, Rita 2:18:57 KEN
2 F10 Deba, Buzunesh 2:19:59 ETH
3 F2 Dibaba, Mare 2:20:35 ETH
4 F3 Jemima Jelagat 2:20:41 KEN
5 F25 Melkamu, Meselech 2:21:28 ETH
6 F12 Duliba, Aleksandra 2:21:29 BLR
7 F17 Flanagan, Shalane 2:22:02 USA
8 F6 Cherop, Sharon 2:23:00 KEN
9 F15 Ongori, Philes 2:23:22 KEN
10 F8 Linden, Desiree 2:23:54 USA

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 22- Four-time Boston winner, Catherine Ndereba, has backed Rita Jeptoo to surpass her chequered record at the world’s oldest marathon after the 33-year-old clinched her third crown on Monday in a staggering 2:18:47 route best.

Racing like poetry in motion, the defending champion held on to her crown by uncorking blistering splits from the Heartbreak Hill to the tape to become the first woman after Ndereba to win three titles there following her previous success in 2006.

The two-time world champion who stands alone as the only woman to win Boston four times paid homage to Jeptoo’s performance that took her to number 5 on the all time list.

“I’m happy for her and what she did although I just missed the race. She is capable of winning four or even five times,” Ndereba told Capital Sport on Tuesday.

The legend who won her fourth Boston title incidentally at 33 in 2005 after victories in 2000, 2001 and 2004 believes Jeptoo is getting finer as the years progress.

“Age is gold it doesn’t matter. It depends on what you want to put in and how you go about it. As you get older, it becomes easier for you to set goals and as long as you do not have disruptions, you can achieve anything,” the two-time Olympics silver medallist added.

“Experience is the best teacher and we can see that with the likes of Edna (Kiplagat, London champion, 34) and Rita. For Boston, Rita knew the course so well, she could even run with her eyes closed and that gave her the advantage over the rest of the field.

“She knew what to expect and that helps a lot in planning and training for the race. I’m not surprised by the time she ran which was very good. As long as you have trained well and on the day when the weather is good and a bit of back wind, any time is possible,” Ndereba explained.

She added: “When I see the girls doing what they are doing now, I’m pleased I was able to demonstrate to them that it is doable. It’s only a matter of believing and training and what we are seeing in the country at the moment as far as women are concerned is a result of that.”

Jeptoo became the first to run sub-2:20 at the difficult course after the pack came through halfway in 1:09:28 following the furious pace set by home favourite, Sharlene Flanagan.

At the crest of Heartbreak Hill, Jeptoo took control with a series of blistering mile splits coming down through Brookline to the finish, including an almost-unbelievable 4:47 for the 24th mile.

Alone by then, Jeptoo was chasing only Margaret Okayo’s course record of 2:20:43 from 2002, and it was almost a foregone conclusion. After covering the final 2.195km section in 6:51 – just three seconds slower than Keflezighi’s split for the same section – Jeptoo crossed the finish line in 2:18:57, taking her to fifth on the world all-time list.

“I was not expecting to run fast like today, but I’m happy,” Jeptoo told IAAF. “I was surprised because the race was like on fire! I managed to think of all my training. Last year you saw nobody pushing because they’re looking for me, and everybody follows me. But today I pushed all day.”

“I’ve never started like that. My body was not responsive at the beginning. Maybe after 25km I felt like, ‘I’m OK,’ and I started from there.”

Jeptoo and Keflezighi each won $150,000 for their victories; Jeptoo will add an additional $25,000 for the course record.

Flanagan trailed in seventh in 2:22:02, the fastest-ever US time on the Boston course, and told reporters she would keep coming back until she won.

-Additional reporting iaaf.org

LONDON, England, April 22-Manchester United sacked manager David Moyes on Tuesday, just 10 months after he succeeded Alex Ferguson at the helm of one of the world’s most famous clubs.

After a day of speculation in the British media, the Premier League giants confirmed the Scot’s departure in a brief statement on their Twitter account.

“Manchester United announces that David Moyes has left the club,” United said. “The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role.”

Rumours of Moyes’s imminent departure began to swirl on Monday, with the club refusing to comment when asked if he was facing the sack.

British newspaper reports on Tuesday said that Moyes had been informed of his fate during an early-morning meeting with chief executive Ed Woodward at the club’s Carrington training ground.

Current player-coach Ryan Giggs is reportedly set to be announced as interim manager later on Tuesday.

United host Norwich City on Saturday in the first of their four remaining league games this season.

Louis van Gaal, the current Netherlands coach, has been installed as the favourite to succeed Moyes on a permanent basis by British bookmakers, with Jurgen Klopp of Borussia Dortmund another rumoured contender.

Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, personally hand-picked Moyes to succeed him after announcing his retirement last May following 26 and a half trophy-studded years at Old Trafford.

Moyes inherited a team that had romped to the Premier League title — United’s 20th English league crown — by 11 points, but he endured a torrid debut campaign.

- ‘Worse and worse’ -

United have slumped to seventh place in the league table and been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions and the Champions League.

Moyes’s last game in charge was a 2-0 loss at his former club Everton, which confirmed that United will not compete in the Champions League next season for the first time since 1995.

The defeat, United’s 11th of the league campaign, left the defending champions 13 points below the Champions League places and 23 points behind leaders Liverpool.

They face a struggle even to qualify for the second-tier Europa League, lying six points below sixth-place Tottenham Hotspur with four matches to play.

Of their league defeats, six have come at home, and there have been demoralising home-and-away losses to arch rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, as well as Everton.

Moyes’s transfer dealings proved equally disappointing, with £27.5 million ($46.2 million, 33.5 million euros) midfielder Marouane Fellaini, signed from Everton, and £37.1 million record signing Juan Mata, who arrived from Chelsea in January, struggling to make an impact.

As a result, United’s American owners, the Glazer family, reportedly felt uneasy about the prospect of handing him the funds needed to rebuild the squad during the forthcoming close season.

Former United player Gary Neville, now a television pundit and England coach, said that while he was disappointed by the decision, Moyes’s struggles had left the club in a difficult position.

“I think it could have been dealt with a whole lot better,” Neville told Sky Sports News.

“I believe in managers being given time. However, there’s no disguising that the football this season has been poor and the results have been poor. The performances have got worse and worse.”

LONDON, April 23- Less than 12 months after awarding David Moyes a six-year contract, Manchester United are searching for another new manager following the Scot’s dismissal on Tuesday.

While player-coach Ryan Giggs has been placed in interim charge until the end of the season, the club will now look to appoint a long-term successor to Moyes capable of restoring the club to former glories.

Here, AFP Sports looks at five issues that will be on the top of the new man’s in-tray:

1. Bring the style back

- The statistics ultimately did for Moyes — 11 league defeats; 23 points below leaders Liverpool; no Champions League qualification for the first time since 1995 — but the abrupt disappearance of the United swagger was equally disconcerting. Under Alex Ferguson, United were renowned for their dashing football and never-say-die spirit, but under Moyes they looked like a team without a soul. Gone were the thrilling counter-attacks and injury-time goals, replaced instead by a listless tactical conservatism that reached a nadir in February when United lumped a Premier League-record 81 crosses into the box during a 2-2 draw at home to Fulham. In Moyes’s last game in charge, a 2-0 defeat at his former club Everton, United dominated possession, but did nothing with it. “Possession football, meaningless football, against clinical football,” was the damning verdict of former United stalwart Gary Neville.

2. Rejuvenate the defence

- While Moyes’s successor will find a cluster of renowned attacking players at his disposal, he will also inherit a defence that has been creaking badly ever since Ferguson retired in May last year. Captain Nemanja Vidic has already agreed to join Inter Milan and both Rio Ferdinand, 35, and Patrice Evra, 32, will soon be out of contract. At 23, right-back Rafael da Silva has time on his side, but he has turned in several erratic performances of late, while Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling have been exposed at times as well. A new central midfielder remains a key requirement, but the reconstruction of the United back four is likely to be the principle focus of the anticipated close-season recruitment drive.

3. Devise a system that accommodates Rooney and Mata

- United fans rejoiced when Moyes prised Juan Mata from Chelsea for a club-record £37.1 million ($61.2 million, 44.8 million euros) fee in January, but the Spaniard’s Old Trafford career is yet to catch fire. He was typically used on the right of an attacking midfield triumvirate by Moyes, as the number 10 role that he covets is currently the exclusive domain of Wayne Rooney. Shinji Kagawa, a Ferguson signing who has also failed to find his feet, is another player who prefers to play as a central playmaker, and the new manager’s ability to devise a system that successfully accommodates at least two of those players could determine his chances of success.

4. Stop the leaks

- Ferguson famously elected to exert control over the media simply by shutting them out, and stories of changing-room unrest were few and far between during his 26-and-a-half-year tenure. The code of omerta appeared to disintegrate under Moyes, however, as reports of disagreements between him and players including Ryan Giggs, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck filtered out into the press. If his successor is to get the whole club pulling in the same direction, he will need to be able to trust his players to keep their own counsel.

5. Make Old Trafford a fortress again

- Whereas opposition teams used to quake at the prospect of a visit to Old Trafford, during Moyes’s brief reign a trip to United’s ground came to represent an opportunity to pull off a famous upset. West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Newcastle United all registered long-awaited league wins at Old Trafford, while Swansea City and Sunderland both enjoyed success there in the domestic cup competitions. Successive 3-0 defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City further dampened the atmosphere and that unfamiliar sense of vulnerability will need to be washed out of the stadium’s corridors before United can even think about returning to the summit of the European game.

LONDON, April 23- Manchester United began their search for a new manager on Wednesday, with newspaper reports claiming that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has emerged as a candidate to succeed David Moyes.

Several British newspapers said that Ancelotti was being considered for the vacancy, along with Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, who emerged as the early favourite for the post following Moyes’s sacking on Tuesday.

However, whereas Ancelotti, the former Chelsea manager, is less than a year into a three-year contract at Madrid, Van Gaal is scheduled to step down from his position with Holland after this year’s World Cup.

Van Gaal, 62, has expressed an interest in working in England and former Holland forward Bryan Roy, who worked under him at Ajax, believes that he would be a perfect fit at United.

“He has definitely still got the hunger,” Roy, now a coach at Ajax, told the Daily Mirror.

“He will never turn down Manchester United, believe me. I think it’s the job he really wants. And he will be a revelation at Manchester United.”

Speaking shortly after news of Moyes’s dismissal broke on Tuesday, Ancelotti expressed sympathy for the former Everton manager.

“I feel for David Moyes, but in general this is the life of a coach,” said the 54-year-old Italian, whose side play Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals later on Wednesday.

“At times things don’t go well and you are sacked. I’m sure David Moyes will look for, and find, another job.”

Diego Simeone, the current Atletico Madrid coach, is another figure to have been linked with the vacancy at Old Trafford.

- Ferguson to be consulted -

Meanwhile, reports claim that former United manager Alex Ferguson will play an active role in the search for a new head coach, despite having been chiefly responsible for the decision to appoint Moyes.

Ferguson, who is now a United director, personally recommended Moyes to the club’s board after announcing his retirement in May last year.

Moyes, 50, was sacked after a wretched debut campaign that saw defending champions United slump to seventh place in the Premier League table, denying them a place in next season’s Champions League.

Long-serving midfielder Ryan Giggs has been placed in interim charge of first-team affairs “until a permanent appointment can be made”, United said.

The 40-year-old Welshman, who became a member of Moyes’s coaching staff at the beginning of the season, is expected to address the media for the first time since taking up his new role on Friday.

Giggs will be assisted by Phil Neville and Chris Woods, both of whom kept their jobs on United’s back-room staff despite having been brought in by Moyes, as well as youth-team coach and former team-mate Nicky Butt.

However, Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden, who were also appointed by Moyes, have both been fired.

Another of Giggs’s former team-mates, Paul Scholes, has also been drafted in to provide support.

“It’s great to see Paul Scholes here at the Aon Training Complex today, assisting Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville,” United said in a message on the club’s Twitter feed on Wednesday.

News of Moyes’s departure met with a favourable reaction on the New York Stock Exchange, where United’s shares rose six percent to their highest level since Ferguson’s retirement.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 23- Champions Gor Mahia returned to the summit of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) after thrashing Muhoroni Youth 3-0 as bitter rivals AFC Leopards suffered their third loss of the season in a 1-0 reverse to Mathare United in Wednesday action.

Gor laid a marker and made mockery of their woes with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) who slapped a Sh118m lien on them on Tuesday by moving top on 20 points at the expense of Tusker FC who were stunned 1-0 at home by Chemelil Sugar.

Elsewhere on a busy day, KRA continued belying their promoted status by silencing hosts City Stars 2-1, while KCB continued their resurgence with a 2-1 win over Top Fry Nakuru to register their first win of the KPL season.

Thika United held Sofapaka to a barren draw and the games between Western Stima at home to Sony Sugar and Bandari versus Ulinzi Stars ended in identical 1-1 stalemates.

At Nairobi’s City Stadium, Gor charged back to the summit courtesy of Shaban Kenga, Geoffrey Kizito and Eric Ochieng who scored in the 25th, 33rd and 42nd minutes of the match to accumulate 20 points in ten games, two ahead of Chemelil who shocked Tusker through a late Innocent Wafula strike.

The Brewers slid down to third after their second successive loss also on 18 points but with an inferior goal difference.

Newcomers KRA continued their upward momentum with Roosevelt Blaty netting a brace at Hope Centre to stuff the home side 2-1 at Hope Centre to move up to fifth on 17 points.

All eyes were at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium where Abdallah Juma, sacked from KCB a week previously, led Leopards as assistant head coach but left with no league wins in ten matches as a spectacular strike from Hussein Zzinda made the difference.

Zzinda struck in the tenth minute in a swift counter attack as Stanley Okumbi’s Slum Boys held on a spirited barrage from Ingwe who were once again left to rue missed chances.

“We had many chances in the first half but we failed to execute them and that really cost us since we don’t have good finishers something that we will work on before our next match.

“We want to take one match at a time because we cannot force a game. We have motivated the boys and letting them believe on themselves since that’s what they lack,” Washington Muhanji, who was in interim charge before Juma joined the Den, said after the match.

“We have been better opponents in the past three games but in both occasions we have failed to score, we disappointed our fans but promise to perform better next time,” the goalkeeper trainer added.

“We played well in the first half and that’s why we scored an early goal. I told my players to run after the ball and create many chances as possible and with that I was sure of the win.

“We could have won the match 3-0 or 4-0 but I’m content with the win since we needed it. I believe I have youthful players who can play in Mathare for a long time unlike last season where we lost good players,” the delighted Okumbi, whose side remains in 12th on ten points, offered.

Juma made two changes, bringing in defender Eric Masika for a rare start and Nigerian Austine Ikenna replacing Harambee Stars winger Paul Were.

The visitors missed a couple of chances through forward Jacob Keli who came close after four minutes but last year’s KPL top scorer blasted wide from close range.

Mathare responded in the eighth through Noah Abich’s free-kick but keeper Martin Musalia punched out for a fruitless corner.

They were not to be denied two minutes later when Daniel Mwaura set Zzinda free from the right wing for the former Sony Sugar striker to volley home on the counter.

Khalid Jumaan had a chance to restore parity three minutes later after he beat Mathare defenders but his shot was easily picked by Robert Mboya in goal who was eventually named the man of the match.

Musalia was forced to pull three saves, denying Edwin Ombasa twice before rescuing Mwangi’s thunderbolt as Mathare enjoyed a 1-0 lead at the interval as Jumaan and Keli spurned glorious opportunities to level just before the break when Charles Okwemba free-kick caused panic in the Slum Boys box.

Juma introduced Bernard Mang’oli and Oscar Kadenge in the second half but try as they might, the 2008 champions held on for the win.

In the early kick off of the televised double header at the same venue Sofapaka played to a goalless draw with Thika United.

Elsewhere, Sony Sugar held Western Stima at home after playing to a 1-1 draw in Mumias Sports Complex.

Paul Odhiambo gave the hosts a first half lead in the 31st before Marwa Chamberi levelled in the 56th.

In Mombasa, 2010 champions Ulinzi Stars picked their seventh draw of the season after battling to a 1-1 stalemate with home team Bandari at Mombasa County Stadium.

Salim Mohammed broke the deadlock to give the visitors the lead in the 48th before Kepha Aswani notched the equaliser three minutes later.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 24 – If you are a Gor Mahia die hard fan, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) needs you for funds to keep the club from going under due to a crippling cash crunch it finds itself in.

On Thursday, the club announced it was broke and launched a mobile phone pay bill number 350100 to mobilise their devoted Green Army faithful to raise monies keep K’Ogalo running after their three-year sponsorship deal with Tuzo lapsed last month.

It comes two days after Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) slapped the league champions who moved to the summit of the KPL on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Muhoroni with a Sh118m tax lien as it continues to pursue a new sponsor.

Now operating without a sponsor who was paying players salaries amounting to Sh1.8m per month, K’Ogalo officials have been forced to depend on KPL broadcast rights holders SuperSport monies and gate collections to settle their monthly expenditure that runs to Sh4.5m per month.

“We are running out of money there is nothing to hide the fact is we don’t have money. So if we are not able to participate in the league simply because we cannot afford to fuel our bus for our away matches,

“If we don’t have money we cannot operate and that’s why I’m appealing to all well wishers, fans and friends of Gor to support the club financially through the playbill number to help us offset some of the most pressing bills, most important to see players salaries,” chairman Ambrose Rachier said whilst making the impassioned plea during the launch of the pay bill number.

To compound the situation, Brookside Dairies, the owners of the Tuzo brand have withheld March salaries after KRA wrote them a demand letter for back taxes as Gor officials scramble to avert disaster.

Other recurrent costs in danger of not being met in the ongoing cash woe include weekly travelling allowances and match bonuses for players and staff as well as running the secretariat.

“As you are aware KRA are claiming from us a huge figure of Sh118m and have moved to cripple us by serving our agencies notices to nearly all our financial sources.

“While we are taking appropriate action to address this unfortunate claim, we wish to send a passionate appeal to all K’Ogalo adherents to come forward and contribute generously before we soon come to a halt,” the chairman implored.

“KRA’s effort is to make sure we don’t receive money and we won’t be surprised if somebody comes at the gate to grab our entry collection because there is that deliberate effort to make sure we don’t obtain money and I’m wondering why Gor since no other club has been approached,” he claimed, ignoring the fact that archrivals AFC Leopards and Western Stima are on record settling their dues with the taxman.

“But at the moment we are making appropriate consultations before we decide to take action since the issue is having a negative impact on our potential sponsors,” the chairman added on the KRA issue.

According to Rachier this development will not affect the performance of the team despite not paying March salaries for staff including head coach Bobby Williamson, since they have held a meeting with the players and technical bench to inform them on financial constraints.

Meanwhile, his vice John Pesa, called upon the Green Army to maintain patience and allow the systems they have put in place to function and succeed.

“We are now getting some firms to sell our tickets and yet some fans misunderstand the process.

“Let us have issues that are tangible rather than having blame games that money is being stolen yet we have no funds, this is an area we are very concerned about because as you understand we don’t have a sponsor so we need to collect the money at the gate promptly and efficiently so that we can function well,” he noted.

Gor are perched at the top of the KPL log with 20 points, two ahead of Chemelil and Tusker who are jointly placed second after playing 10 rounds.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 25- National rugby 7s head coach, Paul Treu, has signalled his intent to lead his side to the Main Cup semifinals for the first time in his tenure when the team wraps up the 2013/14 HSBC World Series season in Glasgow and London.

Treu who has come under intense scrutiny for the team’s limp displays since he took charge in January is under pressure to end the season on a high, making four changes to the side that will depart for Scotland on Monday as he unveiled his troops in Nairobi on Friday.

Seasoned flanker Philip Wamae, center Felix Ayange, winger Michael Wanjala and forward Tony Owuor were included in his 12-man traveling party for Scotland and England.

The four take the places of captain Andrew Amonde who is ruled out for eight weeks with arm injury, Mwamba’s Dan Sikuta who picked a knock in Hong Kong, back Oscar Ouma who is out due to family commitment and Lunch Bar Quins Maxwell Theuri who debuted in the last two legs in Japan and Hong Kong.

The team that is placed ninth on the log with 60 points for the eighth leg in Glasgow that runs on the weekend of May 3 and 4 before traveling to London a week later for the ninth and final leg of 2013/14 season.

“It is going to be a difficult challenge in the last two legs since we will be missing four of our key players. But I call upon the senior players who are experienced to steer the team and ensure we finish the season on a high.

“We are taking one game at a time and we need to get over Wales and Argentina since it will be a challenge to beat Fiji because they have beaten us in the past,” the South African declared when unveiling the squad.

“It will make no sense if we register similar results in Glasgow this time round. I don’t think we will go to this tournament for the sake of it because some of our key players are out of the squad, we want to go there and really do well since the players have a lot of urgency and hunger to perform better,” he continued.

Treu who collected three points to lift the Shield in Hong Kong courtesy of 17-10 win over Portugal is aiming to reach the last four for the first time after managing to sail through five quarter-finals in Gold Coast, Dubai, Port Elizabeth, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

“The criticism we are not performing well is justified since there is always high expectation from our supporters especially after the team finished fifth last season and comparing now where we are lying ninth, its something that we would like to improve on since we want to enter the last two legs with a lot of confidence and hope to progress to the semis or finals since we have won the Bowl and Shield.

“We have seen the impact when we lose key players on injuries and if you take a look at the top four teams like New Zealand, Fiji or South Africa, when they lose players they fail to progress to the next round and for us its even worse because loosing our captain Amonde is a big blow considering he has been inspiring the team so its difficult to replace them but we will pick ourselves up and hope for the best,” he underscored.

“Its like a see saw at the moment because we don’t know what to expect particularly when we are heading to UK tour since for England and Wales they will be at home, so it is not going to be easy but we have done our home work well and have a couple of days to polish and hopefully we will come out of day one qualifying for the Cup quarters,” Treu added.

Kenyan all time leading try scorer Collins Injera, who is currently third on the all time list with 183 will captain the team.

“It was always going to be a challenging season and from the players perspective we took it head on where sometimes it went well and sometimes it dint because of the mistakes we made on the pitch. I think it had to happen since we are on a new system,.

“Going forward we have learnt from our mistakes and heading to the last legs it’s about finishing on a high and building the confidence bearing in mind there is Commonwealth and Olympics qualifiers coming,” the stand-in skipper explained.

Speaking at the same function, Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Mwangi Muthee said, “We will be facing our toughest pool since we are going to meet top class teams but the bigger the challenge the bigger the expectoration and we are asking players and technical bench to make sure they step up and play the best of their rugby since we want to finish the season on a high.

“We have very many youngsters who are knocking the door eager to play in the national 7s team, so after London we will have learnt our mistakes and if there is any correction to be done, it will be done during off-season where we will get a new squad that will go to camp in preparation for 2014/15 season that will be very important since it will be 2016 Olympics qualifiers.”

Kenya is drawn in Pool C for Glasgow 7s where they will take on Wales, Argentina and Tokyo 7s champions Fiji in Glasgow 7s.

Squad: Collins Injera (c), Horace Otieno, Patrice Agunda, Felix Ayange, Billy Odhiambo, Dennis Ombachi, Biko Adema, Philip Wamae, Michael Wanjala, Oscar Ayodi, Tony Owuor, Michael Agevi.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 26- World champions, Asbel Kiprop and Eunice Sum fulfilled their favourite roles to perfection to book their berths in the 23-strong Kenyan team for the inaugural IAAF World Relays in Bahamas.

The meet was headlined by the new world record* in the women 4X1500m ran by Moscow Worlds silver winner, Mercy Cherono, World Indoors finalist, Irene Jelagat, Ann Karindi and Perine Nenkampi who breezed to 17:05.8 to shatter the previous standard of 17:08.34 run at the University of Tennessee in the US.

AK vice-president in charge of competitions and administration, David Okeyo, confirmed they would apply for the record to be recognised by world body IAAF since all requirements for consideration including electronic timing, doping control and wind measurement were in place.

The quartet bettered the 17:08.17 ran by Sum, Karindi, World Indoor silver winner, Helen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo on April 5 during the last Safaricom Relay Series meet at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani but the mark was not recognised as a world record since hand timing was used.

Kiprop and Sum took their places with convincing wins in their individual time trials before anchoring their men 4X1500m and women 4X800m teams to victory as the Safaricom Relay Series Final Bahamas selection showdown concluded in Nairobi on Saturday.

AK went against expectations in deciding not to enter athletes in the 4X100m, 4X200m and especially the 4X400m with federation vice-president in charge of competitions and Meet Director, David Okeyo, saying, “They did not get the qualifying times.”

Hopes that the stellar cast on show would attack and mow down the 4X1500m and 4X800m world records on the day saw electronic timing and doping control in place but were dashed when the athletes did individual time trials before returning for the relays in the afternoon session.

Kiprop eyes Bahamas glory

He came in as the biggest name on show and with measured pace, never exerting himself at any point of the race he led from the gun, two-time world champion, Asbel Kiprop, duly delivered, taking his men 1500m time trial in 3:36.55 to lead the qualifiers to Bahamas.

The Beijing Olympics gold medallist then teamed up with bridesmaid and Commonwealth champion, Silas Kiplagat (3:36.68), Collins Cheboi (3:36.74) and Joseph Magut (3:36.85) who sealed the top four to uncork victory in the men 4X1500m in 14:44.77.

“This is a good start to the season from me. My team mates and I can deliver both the gold and world record in Bahamas if we work as a team and get our tactics right.

“I would be delighted to win another gold medal for my country since competing for my nation at every opportunity is my motivation,” the lanky Kiprop asserted.

Olympics and Worlds finalist, Nixon Chepseba and Hillary Maiyo who finished sixth and fifth in the time trial join the quartet in the men 4X1500m squad via the outside selection rule.

World Youth titleholder, Alfred Kipketer, enhanced his reputation further by crushing the field in the men 800m individual selection race, crossing the line in 1:44.2 to lead the charge to Bahamas.

Job Kinyor, a son of former Boston Marathon titleholder, Salina Kosgei and retired 400m Hurdler and 1994 Commonwealth Games bronze winner, Barnabas Kinyor, lived up to family pedigree by leading the challengers home in 1:44.6 as third placed Ferguson Rotich, a Moscow Worlds competitor (1:44.9) and Sammy Kirongo (1:45.3) sealed the automatic tickets.
“Last year was the firt time out of the country when we went for the World Youth and I cannot believe it I will go for my first event outside as a senior. The aim is to go there and win and if the world record comes, it would be a dream come true,” the slightly dazed Kipketer said.

Fifth finisher, Nicholas Kiplagat (1:45.7) got the wildcard nod with Olympics bronze winner, Anthony Chemut, who was sixth (1:46.0) missing out on the Bahamas party.

Sum leads mentor Jepkosgei

At the finish, a beaming Eunice Sum, who stunned the world in Moscow with a maiden world title, waited for her mentor and Osaka 2007 winner, Janeth Jepkosgei, to cross the line before the pair embraced warmly as they achieved their target to represent their nation in Bahamas.

“What makes this special is that I shall be in the same team with my mother in athletics as we try our best to bring glory to our country. We train together and now we shall do something great for our nation,” Sum who outlasted her idol over the last 300m to romp home victorious in 2:03.2 against 2:03.9.

“It is a wonderful feeling to run with my daughter. Last year, I knew she could win the world title and now we will be going for another world title together. I’m grateful for having a long career and after the disappointing London 2012 Olympics and missing out on Moscow, this is a huge relief,” the equally glowing 2008 Olympics silver winner Jepkosgei said.

Behind them, Kenya Prisons runner, Sylvia Chesebe (2:04.8) and former World Youth winner, Cherono Koech (2:05.2) sealed the remaining slots with selectors adding Agatha Jeruto and Miriam Chepkemoi to the list.

The top four teamed up to bag the honours in the 4X800m relay in 8:23.13.

In the women 1500m showdown, Moscow silver medallist, Mercy Cherono deployed the afterburners after the bell to outclass World Indoors finalist, Irene Jelagat at the homestretch to carry the day in 4:11.49 against 4:12.27.

“After my silver in Moscow, winning gold in Bahamas will be the best way to get my year going since nothing makes me happier than running for Kenya,” the former World Junior titleholder enthused.

Together with Ann Karindi (4:15.35) and Perrine Nenkampi (4:15.67) who followed home in third and fourth, the leading pair prevailed in the women 4X1500m event in 17:05.72 to round off a fulfilling day.

Two-time World Cross junior champion and national women 1,500m record holder, Faith Chepng’etich was given a wildcard for Bahamas without competing and Sheila Chepng’etich earned the wildcards in the World Relays squad.

The team will report to camp on May 1 ahead of their departure for the May 24 and 25 relay showpiece on May 18.

*Pending IAAF ratification

KENYA BAHAMAS TEAM

4X800m MEN: Alfred Kipketer, Job Kinyor, Ferguson Rotich, Sammy Kirongo, Nicholas Kiplagat

4X800m WOMEN: Eunice Sum, Janeth Jepkosgei, Sylvia Chesebe, Cherono Koech, Agatha Jeruto, Miriam Chepkemoi

4X1500m MEN: Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat, Collins Cheboi, Joseph Magut, Hillary Maiyo, Nixon Chepseba

4X1500m WOMEN: Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat, Anne Karindi, Peris Nenkampi, Sheila Chepng’etich, Faith Chepng’etich (wildcard)

Coaches: Esther Koech, Elykanah Nyangau, Billy Kosgei

Physios: Caroline Kamau, Peter Nduhiu

Team leader: David Okeyo, AK Vice-President

Deputy team leader: Isaac Mwangi, AK CEO

LONDON, April 27- Chelsea remain in the hunt for a Premier League and Champions League double after a 2-0 win away at leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

Victory saw Jose Mourinho’s men close to within two points of top spot in the Premier League with two games to play.

However, third-placed Manchester City will be just three points off the summit, with a game in hand on both Liverpool and Chelsea, if they win away to Crystal Palace later on Sunday.

Senegal striker Demba Ba gave Chelsea the lead in first-half stoppage time when a slip by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard allowed him to charge through and beat Reds goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in a one-on-one.

Chelsea put the result beyond doubt in added time at the end of the match when, with the hosts pressing for an equaliser, former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres led a counter-attack before squaring the ball to substitute Willian for a simple finish.

Chelsea face Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday after a goalless initial encounter in Spain.

Despite Sunday’s success on Merseyside, Chelsea manager Mourinho insisted either Liverpool or City would end the season as champions of England.

“Now we can say we won both matches against the champions,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “If it’s Liverpool, we won both. If it’s City, we won both.

“The champions will be City or Liverpool so we have nothing to celebrate,” the Portuguese added after making seven changes to his starting side at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, a member of the backroom staff at Stamford Bridge during Mourinho’s first spell in charge, bemoaned his side’s failure to break the deadlock as their 11-match winning streak came to an end.

“Unless you can score that early goal you can’t entice the opposition to come up,” he said.

However, the Northern Irishman added: “We are still two points ahead of a team (Chelsea) that has spent an absolute fortune.

“If we win our last two games we finish above them and then we’ll see what happens with Manchester City.”

- Sunderland off the bottom -

Earlier on Sunday, Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 4-0 win at home to 10-man fellow strugglers Cardiff City.

Connor Wickham headed Sunderland, who kicked off bottom of the table, into a 26th-minute lead at the Stadium of Light but the match took a decisive turn on the stroke of half-time.

Wickham burst clear and was bearing down on goal when his shirt was tugged by Cardiff centre-back Juan Cala, whose poor back-pass had let him in.

Phil Dowd played an advantage after Wickham stayed on his feet but, when that didn’t lead to a goal, the referee blew for a penalty and sent off Cala.

Fabio Borini, as he’d done in Sunderland’s shock 2-1 win over Chelsea last week, scored from the spot.

Emanuele Giaccherini put the result beyond doubt by making it 3-0 in the 76th minute before Wickham headed in his second goal four minutes from time.

Sunderland’s victory saw Gus Poyet’s side move above Norwich, who dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference, with a game in hand on the teams around them at the foot of the table.

Defeat plunged Cardiff to the bottom, two points shy of safety with two games to play.

Saturday saw Ryan Giggs launch his reign as interim Manchester United manager following the sacking of David Moyes with a 4-0 thrashing of Norwich at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney and substitute Juan Mata scoring two goals apiece.

Everton missed the chance to go above Arsenal in the race for fourth position, and a place in next season’s Champions League, after two own-goals condemned them to a 2-0 loss at Southampton.

Arsenal will move four points in front of Everton with two games to play if they beat Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27- Harambee Stars will launch their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations bid with a relatively easy two-legged knockout tie against tiny Comoros Islands in the preliminary qualification round for the 30th edition of the biennial continental showpiece; according to the draw released by CAF.

The winner of the two-legged knockout tie between Stars; who are ranked 32nd in Africa and 109 in the world in the latest FIFA Rankings against the team that is 50th in the continent/198th in the world will face the winners of the clash between Liberia and Lesotho in the second round.

Should they navigate the second stage against most likely fading force Liberia, Adel Amrouche’s side who last joined the Afcon party in 2004; will enter a tough final qualification pool featuring last year’s beaten finalists, Burkina Faso, the side Kenya registered their sole victory in the finals with a 3-1 reverse in Tunisia, Angola and Gabon in Group C.

It will be the first time for Kenya to face the Comoros in a FIFA/CAF sanctioned match with Stars hosting the islanders between May 16 and 18 for the opening leg with the away fixture slated for the Madaraka Day weekend of May 31 and June 1.

Second round matches are programmed for July 18 to 20 for the first leg with the returns between August 1 and 3 with the final qualifiers taking place from September 5 and 6 to November 19.

The deciding qualifiers will see teams battle for 15 places to join hosts Morocco for the final tournament next January.

Ivory Coast, Cameroon in ‘Group of Death’

One of the most revered teams between titans Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon will miss the party after they were drawn together in Group D.

Four-time winners, Cameroon, will have to contend with rivals, the Elephants and DR Congo with the proverbial ‘group of death’ completed by the winner of the Swaziland/Sierra Leone – Gambia/Seychelles.

The Indomitable Lions have been absent from the last two editions of the showpiece African football tournament and will be seeking to make the grade this time.

Another interesting group is Group F which houses record winners, Egypt, Tunisia and Senegal to be joined by the winner of Burundi/Botswana – Central African Republic/Guinea Bissau.

Reigning champions, Nigeria find themselves in Group A with South Africa, Sudan and the winner of Namibia/Congo – Libya/Rwanda.

Group B has Mali, Algeria, Ethiopia and the winner of Sao Tome e Principe/Benin – Malawi/Chad.

Ghana’s Black Stars are in Group E with neighbours Togo, Guinea and the winner of Madagascar/Uganda – Mauritania/Equatorial Guinea preliminaries whereas Zambia, victors of the 2012 edition held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are in Group E with Cape Verde, Niger and the winner of Tanzania/Zimbabwe – Mozambique/South Sudan.

DRAW SUMMARY

Group A: Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Namibia/Congo/Libya/Rwanda
Group B: Mali, Algeria, Ethiopia, winner of SaoTome/Benin/Malawi/Chad
Group C: Burkina Faso, Angola, Gabon, winner of Liberia/Lesotho/Kenya/Comoros
GroupD: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, DR Congo, winner of Swaziland/SierraLeone/Gambia/Seychelles
Group E: Ghana, Togo, Guinea, winner of Madagascar/Uganda/Mauritania/EqGuinea.
Group F: Zambia, Cape Verde, Niger, winner of Tanzania/Zimbabwe/Mozambique/SouthSudan.
Group G: Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, winner of Burundi/Botswana/CAR/GuineaBissau.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 29 – A shocking video showing Kenyan athlete, Eliud Magut, being urged on to finish the 2014 St Anthony’s Marathon in the Italian region of Padua despite collapsing thrice has surfaced.

Concerns have been raised why organisers and race marshals who are alongside him let him continue before falling thrice in the barriers as he was urged on to the finish before finally being put in an ambulance.

Magut, the winner of Cannes Marathon in France in 2012 where he ran 2:10:31 in November, months after finishing second in 2:16:30 at the Kigali Peace Marathon in Rwanda is 28 was running in his third attempt over the ultimate distance.

He was gunning to finish third behind winner Fatna Maraoui and compatriot Pharis Kimani who was second.

Reports from Italy on the video posted on the Internet question why action to aid the clearly suffering Magut was taken too late.

“We understand regulations athletes should not be touched and everything… but it is not possible that this man could not be rescued when he gave evident signs of not being in himself?

“And if he died as a result of a collapse? What would have happened? The ambulance was not far away…Is it possible that a doctor could not take responsibility for a decision that could even be life-saving?” Italian website atleticalive.it wrote.

Contacted, Athletics Kenya (AK) officials said they were not aware of the incident but would look into it and establish the welfare of Magut.

On November 30, 2008 another Kenyan athlete, Barnabas Kipkoech, died in Goiania, after collapsing competing at a half-marathon in the central-western city of the South American nation.

The deceased who is survived by a widow and two sons was brought home for burial following the intervention of AK and the Government.

Reaction on the Magut video posted below on social media was swift.

“Seriously, should organisers of the Padova Marathon have allowed this to happen? Isn’t this an insult to Kenyan athletes?

“Magut would have died as the medics watched, urging him on like a prize horse! Athletics Kenya really must act on this sort of modern slavery, in my opinion. Absolutely disgusting! The health of the athlete must come first,” veteran Nation Media Group and 2012 IAAF Journalist of the Year, Elias Makori, posted on his Facebook wall alongside the link of the said video.

His colleagues took the cue to lay on organisers and slate race officials, AK and the Government for compromising the welfare of the runners in allowing unscrupulous managers to exploit their talent with little regard to life.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 30 – Kenya will send a huge contingent of 195 athletes in 16 disciplines to the 20th Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3, with Rugby 7s being the only team sport.

At the same the country will send 121 to the second Africa Youth Championships set for May 22-31 in Gaborone, Botswana with athletics, the sport that won 11 gold medals from the last edition in Delhi, India 2010 commanding the lion share of the Glasgow slots.

Commonwealth Games chef-de mission, Stephen Arap Soi, added they will include 20 Paralympians the Scotland party.

“Federations are currently conducting their trials and the only team that has automatically qualified is the Rugby 7s team.

“The major Trials will be for athletics that will be held from June 5 to 7 this will give us an allowance of four days to do final entry by name,” Soi who is also National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Noc-k) assistant treasurer declared.

“We have a challenge in the number of elite athletes with disability since we had slotted 20 but since the International Paralympics Committee has informed us only 11 have qualified, we will have to finalize the details when the team enters residential training,” he added.

Kenya will be looking to better her record performance at the Club Games in Delhi where they finished ninth overall with 32 medals; 12 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze, with swimmer Jason Dunford and boxer Joshua Makanjio the only competitors to bag honours outside athletics.

Badminton, Cycling, Judo, Table Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Squash, Shooting, Elite athletes with disabilities and Triathlon are the other disciplines that will sent their talent to Scotland in national colours.

The team will report to camp on June 16 and depart for Glasgow in three batches with the first leaving on July 13.
Speaking at the same function, leader of delegation for the continental Youth Championships, Fridah Shiroya, said they will be sending a big team to Gaborone to better their 2010 returns in an event where Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and South Africa dominated the inaugural edition in Rabat, Morocco.

“The teams have already been selected by various federations and will enter to camp from Monday next week at Nairobi’s YMCA. The teams are in very high spirit since they are young and we expect them to perform well.

“We have got release letters for some of them and we are hoping those who will not be able to come to camp will be able to train wherever they will be according to their requirements, so we are set for Gaborone,” the Noc-k treasurer announced.

Stars expected to make a statement at the games include World junior 3000m champion; Mercy Chebwogen and Africa Youth 800m champion Robert Biwott.

The Africa Youth Games that will serve as a qualifier for Nanjing Youth Olympics, which will be held in China in August.

Gaborone will cater for 2,500 young athletes participating in 20 sport disciplines for athletes aged between 14-18 years.

Already the International Sport Federations of athletics, basketball and swimming have agreed to use the event as a qualifying tournament for the Summer Games.

Kenya will be fielding 45 athletes and nine officials for the Youth Olympics as they are set to depart August 30.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 – Kenya 7s stand-in captain, Collins Injera, is upbeat they will up their game and finish the 2013/14 season on a high when in the penultimate HSBC Sevens World Series in Scotland this weekend at Scotstoun Stadium.

The country’s record try scorer who is currently third on the all time list with 183, however, disclosed it will be an uphill task since they are drawn in a tricky Pool C where they will open with Wales before taking on Tokyo 7s champions Fiji and wrapping up their preliminary stage with Argentina.

“We have learnt our mistakes despite it being a challenging season. We are heading to the last two legs with one mission and that’s to finish the season on a high

“It will not be easy in Glasgow because we will be meeting strong teams who already know how we play since they have beaten us in the season, so it’s a tough Pool but we will try our best and aim for the Cup if possible,”
Injera told Capital Sport before departing for the eighth round of World Series.

Head coach Paul Treu, is beginning to feel the pressure after a string of poor results that saw him set a target of leading his charges to the first semi-final since he took charge last November.

But question marks about his ability to deliver the Olympics medal he was hired to win at the Rio 2016 Games remain since the team is yet to execute his tactics almost a full season into his tenure.

The South African has lacked consistency and firepower they enjoyed last season where they reached five semis and came close to lift the Wellington 7s Main Cup only losing to England 24-19 in sudden death under Englishman Mike Friday.

His reign has not been a complete disaster since the team has reached four quarter-finals in Gold Coast, Dubai, Port Elizabeth and Tokyo 7s although it’s an illustration of how high the bar has been set for the two-time Rugby Sevens World Cup semi finalists that those performances have been met with disquiet .

At this stage last season the team that is placed ninth with 60 points had accumulated 77, leaving the former Blitzbokke tactician with the challenge to steer Shujaa rousing performances in the last two legs to starve off the simmering criticism.

Treu will be looking to bounce back in Glasgow, coming from lifting the Shield in Hong Kong, as he picks up his broken pieces despite the team affected by injuries where they will miss four of their key players, skipper Andrew Amonde who is ruled out for eight weeks with arm injury.

Also joining the list are Mwamba’s Dan Sikuta who picked a knock in Hong Kong, back Oscar Ouma who is out due to family commitment, Lunch Bar Quins Maxwell Theuri who debuted in the last two legs in Japan and Hong Kong and Philip Wamae, who is the latest blow after picking injury during training.

Forced change

This forced Treu to make latest change in the squad, calling veteran Humphrey Kayange who is based in United Kingdom to team up with half fly Felix Ayange, winger Michael Wanjala and forward Tony Owuor.

Kenya will kick-off her campaign with Wales who beat them 10-7 in Hong Kong at 12:52PM local time setting up an opportunity for Treu to revenge but a slip will as well see Wales leap frog them in the standings.

Wales’s injury woes this season has left them in a tight spot but coach Gareth Williams, will be banking on key players like Lee Williams and Adam Thomas to put in big shifts and capitalize on the ‘home’ support and lack of travel in these final two tournaments.

Shujaa will then square it out with Tokyo 7s winners Fiji at 3:36pm local time (+3GMT), hoping to end their poor run against the Islanders who are third on the log.

Fiji head coach Ben Ryan, has made three changes from the side that played in Hong Kong with Viliame Mata, Leo Naikasau and Semi Kunitani replacing Setefano Cakau, Joeli Lutumailagi and Samu Saqiqa.

Pio Tuwai and the season’s leading try scorer with 40, Samisoni Viriviri, are all included in the squad.
Fiji will be looking to continue with their consistency that has seen them improve in conditioning, going ahead to win Cup twice in Dubai and Japan.

Kenya will then round up their group match with a tricky encounter against Argentina who are one place above them in the table by a point at 7:09pm.

The Los Pumas had hit four successive Cup quarter finals just like Kenya before stumbling at the last two hurdles in Tokyo and Hong Kong, where they reached the Shield and Bowl competitions.

Their slip-up is not likely to last for long and their presence at this pool with Kenya, makes the group of death.
After Glasgow 7s, Kenya will head to London a week later for the ninth and final round of 2013/14 season HSBC Sevens World Series that will run on the weekend of May 10 and 11 at Twickenham Stadium.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 4 – Champions Gor Mahia returned to the summit of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) on Sunday after edging bitter rivals Sony Sugar 1-0 at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.

Ugandan talisman, Dan Sserunkuma, was once again the toast of K’Ogalo with the winning goal as the titleholders continued to belie their woes with the taxman and now world governing body Fifa with potent pitch performances after edging the ten-men of Sony.

Western Stima rallied from two goals down to hold 10-man Sofapaka to a 3-3 draw in a thrilling clash played at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.

Newcomers KRA climbed to third on the log with a 1-0 win over 2008 champions, Mathare United at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium before fellow promoted side, Top Fry Nakuru held City Stars to a barren stalemate in a televised double header.

After the fracas that broke in Awendo last season between the two foes, Sony were compelled to hold their home tie against K’Ogalo in Nakuru as their former captain and head coach, Zedekiah Otieno, once again attempted to derail the crisis hit giants.

The came was a keenly contested affair with Sserunkuma netting the decider in the 68th minute through a free-kick for his fifth goal of the season when Eugene Ochieng hacked down midfielder and namesake Eric Ochieng that saw him sent off with a straight red card.

The Sugar miller’s top scorer, Edwin Odour thought he had given his side the lead just after five minutes when he was put through by Marwa Chamberi but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Left back Godfrey Walusimbi could have broke the deadlock in the 40th with his free-kick when Ochieng was fouled by Charles Odette but the resulting kick was off target as both sides shared the spoils at the break.

Otieno charges opted to sit back and defence hoping for a counter attack breakthrough that saw Israel Emuge clear Oduor’s cross.

Harambee Stars midfielder Anthony Akumu, could have doubled Gor’s lead in the 75th but his venomous free-kick came back from the post on his return from a three-week injury lay off with Sserunkuma missing the target from the rebound.

Gor supplanted surprise package Chemelil Sugar from the top with 23 points after the sugar millers hit Thika United 2-1 on Saturday.

Machakos thriller

In Machakos, Enock Agwanda opened the scoring for Sofapaka in the second minute after tapping in a John Baraza long pass to take his goal tally to six and top of the KPL charts.

Veteran Baraza then doubled the lead in the 15th heading home Agwanda’s corner before Fredrick Nyarobo pulled one back for Stima three minutes later, cutting in from the right flank to slot in.
It was 2-2 at the half hour with David Okello equalising before Shafik Batambuze put the visitors ahead in the 40th heading in Nyarombo’s cross from the left to beat Sofapaka custodian David Okello.

However the lead did not last as Clifton Miheso equalized just before the breather heading home Yusuf Juma’s cross from the left.

They however suffered a huge blow in the 66th as Collins Shivachi was sent off for a second bookable offense.

Batambuze could have given Stima the lead two minutes later but his hard shot from just outside the box hit the bar.

Sofapaka introduced Eugene Asike for Baraza while Stima pulled out Batambuze bringing Gabriel Andika in the 76th and Dennis Onkangi for Nyarombo a few minutes later but the changes had no effect as the match ended in a 3-3 draw to see the 2009 champions fourth on 18 points.

In the early kick-off at Nyayo Stadium, Ken Kenyatta side prevailed with Joseph Mulume scoring the only goal against Mathare when he curled in the ball from the edge of the box in the 26th minute.

Mathare’s chance to level the scores came in the 61st but custodian Kevin Otieno who eventually was voted the man of the match denied David Mwangi, parrying away his hard shot for a fruitless corner.

Roosevelt Blatty was soon rested and Rodgers Owino took his place, an obvious attempt by Kenyatta to solidify his defense.

Kenneth Wendo, who had replaced Isuza, missed a glorious chance to equalise with nine minutes left after an incisive pass from Joseph Njuguna.

Otieno did well to deny youngster substitute Eric Johanna in the 88th easily picking his hard shot.

In the last match of the day Top Fry held on host Nairobi City Stars to a barren draw to see the Kawangware base drop to 13 with 12.

In other results, Bandari secured a second consecutive draw after sharing a barren draw with Muhoroni Youth.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Olympics champion and world record holder, David Rudisha, has shifted his focus to getting fit for the May 31 IAAF Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon after a calf-strain ruled him out of this Friday’s opener in Doha.

Rudisha, 25, was among the top draws for the Qatar Super Grand Priz but was forced out following the slight muscle injury he sustained last week while training in Iten.

“He told me a few days ago he was feeling stiffness in his muscles. He is disappointed he will not go; Doha is a special meeting to him.

“He has won there a few times and the organisers have been wonderful to him. He felt his calf muscles and he knew he could not give his all and that is why he opted out,” his coach, Brother Colm O’Connell, told Capital Sport on Monday.

“He would have loved to go but he did not feel up to it. He has two weeks to prepare for Eugene and he is really up to it to be in good shape for that,” the revered Patrician Brothers tactician added.

Connell said the record holder who blasted to the all time best at the unbelievable final of the London 2012 Olympics where he stopped the clock at 1:40.91 was back in light training as they tried to ease him back to action.

Having twisted his knee injury ahead of the New York Diamond League meeting last season, Rudisha has sat out of action for almost a year, missing the defence of his world title in Moscow last summer.

A statement from organisers on Sunday confirmed his belated withdrawal from Doha.

“I’m very disappointed not to be able to race in Doha. I know I have got a lot of fans there and I’m sorry I cannot compete for them,” Rudisha said in the statement.

“He has been training well, progressively getting fitter and stronger these last months and was excited about returning to competition in Doha. It’s been on his agenda these last months and he’s been building towards that.

“It’s not a major injury but he has been sore and unfortunately doesn’t feel able to risk his comeback by racing in Doha next week,” his manager, James Templeton, added.

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5- Harambee Stars head coach, Adel Amrouche, has named for new faces in the squad of 17 local players invited to prepare for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier preliminary round first leg clash against Comoros on May 18.

Domestic league champions Gor Mahia and bitter rivals AFC Leopards dominate the squad that has seen the Belgian tactician once again include Ingwe’s keeper, Wycliffe Kasaya, who is yet to play for his nation at the expense of injured regular, Duncan Ochieng, of Sofapaka.

In a statement, Football Kenya Federation asked the call-ups to report to Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani to begin training Tuesday with the foreign contingent that will complete the 23-man team to be named later.

Lower division Kariobangi Sharks player, Hillary Otieno is the only inclusion outside the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) with fellow defender, Oliver Kipruto, who plies his trade with Ulinzi Stars also getting a maiden nod.

High flying promoted KRA have Geoffrey Kataka in with another midfielder, Harrison Mwendwa of Mathare United completing the new faces in the squad.

Captain Jerim Onyango, defender David ‘Calabar’ Owino and midfielder Anthony Akumu from K’Ogalo retain their places in the national side and despite their KPL woes; Leopards who completed a much needed 1-0 win over Tusker last weekend have most of the players in the squad with four.

James Situma, Jacob Keli and Allan Wanga are other Ingwe players besides Kasaya in Amrouche’s team.

The Belgian has kept faith with the bulk of the side that won the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup last December in Nairobi and will be hoping to lead Kenya to the Afcon for the first time since 2004.

Liberia or Lesotho await the aggregate winner of the Kenya-Comoros two-legged tie and further progression will see Stars join Group C alongside last year’s beaten finalists, Burkina Faso, Angola and Gabon to compete for a ticket for the 2015 Morocco Afcon.

Kenya has in the past beaten their potential Group C rivals on home soil in the race for previous Afcons or FIFA World Cups.

PRELIMINARY SQUAD

Goalkeepers; Wilson Obungu (Bandari), Wycliffe Kasaya (AFC Leopards), Jerim Onyango (Gor Mahia); Defenders; James Situma (AFC Leopards), David Owino (Gor Mahia); Musa Mohammed (Gor Mahia); Mulinge Ndetto (Ulinzi Stars); Oliver Kipruto (Ulinzi Stars); Joackins Atudo (Tusker); Hillary Otieno (Kariobangi Sharks); Midfielders; Antony Akumu (Gor Mahia), Clifton Miheso (Sofapaka), Paul Kiongera (KCB), Geoffrey Kataka (KRA), Harrison Mwendwa (Mathare Utd) Strikers: Allan Wanga (AFC Leopards), Jacob Keli (AFC Leopards).

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 6 – Norway based first choice custodian; Arnold Origi will miss the first leg of 2015 Africa Cup of Nations preliminary round qualifier against Comoros as Harambee Stars head coach; Adel Amrouche came under fire for omitting league top scorer Enoch Agwanda from his squad.

Saudi Arabia Al Taawon defender; David Ochieng meanwhile, is the only foreign based player in camp after their season ended with Origi, who last played for Stars last June, unavailable due to commitments with his Lillestrom side.

“He is a good goalkeeper who always wants to play for the national team so I prefer losing him for one game rather than having problem with his club.

“It’s a good chance for our local keepers, Jerim Onyango, Wilson Obungu and Wycliffe Kasaya to prove themselves since if they don’t play now when will they? If one of them performs better and takes over number one, well and good,” the Belgian said Tuesday.

Tusker FC defender Aboud Omar, was the latest call up to the team replacing Ulinzi Stars right back Mulinge Ndetto who is injured but will train with squad.

Amrouche came under siege for omitting Sofapaka forward, Agwanda, who has struck seven goals in the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) as he kept faith with the strikers who won him the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup last December.

AFC Leopard duo, Jacob Keli and Allan Wanga are yet to register in the league while the former Sony Sugar forward Agwanda notched his seventh last Sunday in their 3-3 draw with Western Stima where he also set up the other two goals.

“Agwanda is in my books but at the moment we don’t have the chance to bring all players but I hope in future if we play more friendly games; don’t be surprised to see him in the team if he maintains the good form,” the head coach explained on the KPL top scorer.

“I have hopes with him but I can’t compare him with Oliech who is far much better. The problem with our young players they don’t keep consistency for example; Pattillah Omotto, I thought I had a wonderful player and all over sudden his form went down,” Amrouche told further.

That was a strong hint that record scorer and former captain, Denis Oliech, who is being courted by South Africa PSL sides after his French Ligue 1 club AJ Ajaccio went down, will be among the foreign players who will be named later in the squad.

He went on to accuse local players of showing inconsistency that is giving him issues as he strives to establish a core side.

“In AFC Leopards, it’s only James Situma who is in top form. Allan Wanga and Jacob Keli sometimes play well, sometimes they don’t; same as Gor Mahia’s Anthony Akumu,” the Belgian claimed.

“We are not going to underrate them since they played in a friendly match against Burkina Faso and drew 1-1.

“We only need to be more focused, determined and have the fighting spirit then the rest will follow. For now I urge all Kenyans to rally behind the team since they are our 12th player that we need most,” Amrouche said of the islanders they are yet to meet in any competition.

The foreign based players who include English Premier League side Southampton midfielder and stars captain Victor Wanyama, Oliech, Inter Milan midfielder Macdonald Mariga, FK Tirana’s Francis Kahata and Oman based Jamal Mohammed among others are expected to join the squad later.

Kenya will face the winner of the Liberia vs Lesotho preliminary if they overcome Comoros over two legs and should they progress further, a place in Group C of the final pool qualifiers featuring 2013 Afcon finalists Burkina Faso, Gabon and Angola await.