Kenya to send 68 athletes in ISF Gymnasiade School Games

Kenya to send 68 athletes in ISF Gymnasiade School Games

Namagunga high school (L) in action against Sinyolo girls in hockey title during their East African Secondary School games semi-finals match at the Eldoret Polytechnic in Eldoret on August 30, 2016. Sinyolo Girls won 1-0. PHOTO/Sylvanus Kipkosgei/Sportpicha

Kenya is expected to send a total of 68 athletes for this year’s ISF Gymnasiade School Games that are due from May 14 to 22 in Normandy, France.

The International School Sport Federation (ISF) has published the list of 68 countries from five continents which have applied to participate in the multi-sport event which will see over 3,000 athletes compete in multiple disciplines.

This is the first time Kenya will participate in the largest world inter-school championship. However, the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) has yet to settle on a procedure for selecting its teams, according to Citizen Digital sources.

The Ministry of Education is expected to release the co-curricular activities calendar for next term after the government gave green light for full resumption of sporting activities in learning institutions.

School games return to full swing in Kenya for the first time in two years and KSSSA officials are scratching their heads in their quest to put the show back on the road on high momentum after it was bogged down by COVID-19 restrictions.

Students aged 6 to 18 will be eligible to compete in the youthful fiesta which has 20 different sports namely Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics, Para Athletics, Badminton, Basketball 3x3, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Dance Sport-Breaking, Fencing, Judo, Para-Judo, Orienteering, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rugby Seven, Swimming, Para Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Wrestling.

During Tuesday's ISF executive meeting, president Laurent Petrynka expressed optimism the world school sport governing body will organise a successful championship which will be in its 19th edition since it was started in 1974.

“In the current international context, the ISF members and school sport communities worldwide are strongly keen and looking forward to joining the largest ISF event as the numbers of registered countries can testify. This will be a fantastic occasion to celebrate School Sport with all members as it will be the 50th Anniversary of the ISF,” said Petrynka.

Petrynka added that the ISF and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in France aim to provide all necessary support to ensure the participation of the Ukraine School Sport Federation to the event with a delegation of 50 young athletes at a minimum.

“The number of registrations among the different G2022 sports is very satisfactory and balanced in general except for sports that are proposed for the first time at the Gymnasiade programme. The ISF is closely working with the International and National Sport Federations to ensure an ambitious number of athletes and a very professional organisation of the competition as well as innovative education through sport programme,” read part of the ISF statement after the executive meeting.

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