Kenya to send 68 athletes in ISF Gymnasiade School Games
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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