For Olympics Kenya, the saying invention is the mother of necessity has become all too clear during the difficult Covid-19 period.
Never before have the preparations of a team for a major tournament been so nerve-racking as the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
As the central body in charge of preparing teams for the Olympics, Olympics Kenya (formerly National Olympic Committee-Kenya) has had fairly easy pre-tournament planning in the past years. However, the journey to Tokyo has been akin to crossing an ocean full of sharks.
The latest setback is the withdrawal of Kurume City from a 2019 agreement with the Kenyan government to host a pre-games camp for Team Kenya. This was prompted by a spike in coronavirus infections in Japan as well as in Fukuoka Prefecture, where Kurume is situated.
“Consultations have started with the technical benches of the qualified teams, to re-work the activity schedules of the teams to achieve the best results under the current circumstances,” acting secretary general Francis Mutuku said in light of the new developments.
This is not the first time the committee has been compelled to be ingenious in its preparations. Various qualified teams, as well as those pursuing qualifications, have been training in a bubble camp away from the public to reduce the risk of infections.
Inside the bubble camp, athletes are required to adhere to stringent measures to reduce or prevent the risk of infection and transmission. These include maintaining social distance, sanitising often and wearing face masks. Additionally, no matter how unpleasant it can be, athletes have to undergo regular Covid-19 tests.
“The bubble camp is sort of a replica of the Olympic village in Tokyo in terms of the measures instituted within. We want the athletes to familiarise themselves with these measures so that they can seamlessly fit in the village without the risk of being expelled for not adhering to the same,” Carole Okoth, chief medical officer for Team Kenya, said.
Only time will tell if Olympics Kenya have passed this challenging exam.
They will require superb problem-solving skills and creativity; so far, so good.