Team Kenya is set for its 17th Commonwealth Games appearance as the 23rd edition of the Games gets underway in Glasgow, Scotland, with javelin thrower Julius Yego and judoka Zeddy Cherotich handed the honour of leading the squad as captain and assistant captain respectively.
Sports PS Elijah Mwangi handed over the national flag to the pair during a flag-off ceremony held at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on July 20, formally launching Kenya’s campaign. The 94-member squad joins around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations competing across 10 core sports, including six fully integrated para events, at what is billed as a streamlined edition of the Games.
The government has also sweetened incentives for medal winners ahead of this year’s competition. Gold medallists will now pocket Sh2.5 million, a significant jump from Ksh500,000 at previous Games, while silver and bronze winners will take home Sh1.5 million and Sh1 million respectively, up from Ksh300,000 and Ksh100,000.
Kenya travels to Glasgow with a proud Commonwealth history behind it. The country sits as Africa’s second most successful nation at the Games, trailing only South Africa, having amassed well over 250 medals since making its debut decades ago. At the last edition in Birmingham in 2022, Kenya returned home with 21 medals; six gold, five silver and 10 bronze, with all but one coming from athletics, the exception being a bronze in para powerlifting.
On the track, the athletics team carries much of the country’s medal hopes. Defending 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala returns to Glasgow looking to retain his crown, while World Champions Lilian Odira and Faith Cherotich, an Olympic bronze medallist from Paris 2024, lead a strong middle-distance charge.
Olympic and Commonwealth 1500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot will also spearhead Kenya’s push in the newly introduced Mile event, having topped that distance at the national trials.
Team officials say preparations have gone smoothly, with camp based at Kasarani since mid-June and a deliberate focus on improving athlete welfare, logistics and equipment support. Despite a reduction in the overall number of events at these Games due to funding pressures and a change in host city, Kenyan officials remain confident of matching, if not bettering, the country’s Birmingham showing.
With Yego and Cherotich setting the tone from the front, Kenya will be banking on a mix of proven champions and promising newcomers to deliver another strong medal harvest on the track and beyond in Glasgow.
