NAIROBI, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's former rugby sevens captain Humphrey Kayange who was forced to announce his retirement from rugby in June, has landed the job as Kenya's Chief de Mission for the third Africa Youth Games.
"It is expected that Kayange will use his vast experience in helping the National Olympic Committee of Kenya [NOCK] lay [a] sound foundation for these young and up and coming athletes," said NOCK Secretary General F. K. Paul in a statement on Tuesday.
The Africa Youth Games will be held in Algiers, Algeria from July 18-28. Kenya will have seven disciplines at the Africa Youth Games including athletics, beach volleyball, rugby, hockey, tennis and swimming.
Kenya faces an uphill task to emulate their successful performance in Botswana two years ago where the country claimed 25 medals - seven gold, 11 silver and seven bronze to finish seventh on the overall medals table. South Africa (93 medals) claimed the overall title ahead of Nigeria (41).
Financial constraints have forced Kenya to trim down the number of events athletes will be competing in. Only about 50 athletes, half of them in track and field, will be traveling to Algeria.
According to NOCK officials, Kenya will have 26 competitors from athletics, two beach volleyball teams, nine hockey players, four tennis players and four swimmers at the event.
The Kenyan rugby team has not confirmed participation despite the Rugby Africa President Abdelaziz Bougja, saying Kenya will be among the 22 teams expected in Algeria.
"The African Youth Games will be a real celebration of sport and its values. I look forward to seeing the emergence of the future African stars of international rugby," said Bougja.
Rugby teams that have confirmed participation in the Africa Youth Games are hosts Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo, DR Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Kenyan teams will pitch camp in Nairobi and Mombasa for the final training sessions before heading out to Algeria. This year's games will act as qualifiers for a number of disciplines at the Youth Olympics, which will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October.
