KOT lament Team Kenya reception at JKIA
Kenyans have shared their disappointment on social media over the manner in which athletes who competed at the just concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics were received in the country upon their return from Japan.
The remaining batch of team Kenya athletes was accorded a low-key reception upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.
As per some of the pics, the athletes were seen leaving the airport without any form of formal reception or appreciation by the government.
This compared to the situation in Uganda for example, where athletes were received with pomp and gusto before the medal winners were ushered atop SUVs to celebrate and show off their successes around the streets of Kampala.
#AsanteCSAmina for paying for an empty Hashtag to show us how the government are after Dp Ruto to the extent of forgetting our athletes pic.twitter.com/L0zFvaRUWT
— Evans Miloo Rutto?? (@Evans_miloo) August 11, 2021
This is how Kenyan athletes arrived. Even the people around the airport looked on saying nothing ?. Sad will be understatement. They performed well, arrived silently with no reception but this morning, hey let us tweet to thank the Cabinet Secretary for sports #AsanteCSAmina pic.twitter.com/HFBkLQyrUx
— Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) August 11, 2021
One of the reasons I never get mad when Kenyan athletes run for other nations… Beloved, go where you are celebrated and paid well for your talent.
— M (@k_marilyne) August 11, 2021
Nmeona picha za Kenyan athletes looking like they were sneaking back into the country after Olympics.
— Marvin, WordSmith ✍? (@MarvinGakunyi) August 11, 2021
The leadership at Sports Ministry of Kenya has left returning Kenyan Olympians, like @EliudKipchoge , to the elements at Nairobi airport. No reception, nothing, despite this man &others having made the world stand up for Kenya on Sunday at #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/VIsHx2umea
— Saddique Shaban (@SaddiqueShaban) August 11, 2021
Kenya emerged as the best African country at the international sporting showpiece, scooping 4 Gold, 4 Silver, and 2 Bronze.
The country was also ranked an impressive 19th Kenya emerged as the best African nation at the Games and 19th overall out of the 86 nations that managed to get a medal.
Besides Eliud Kipchoge and Peris Chephirchir won the men and women marathon races, thus cementing Kenya’s reputation as the best in long distances races.