Kenya rows in East Africa Regional Rowing Championships

Kenya and Uganda were the main participants at the championships with a record number of 40 rowers participating including adaptive rowers. This event also served as the national team selection regatta for the African Rowing Championships which will be held in Alexandria, Egypt, in late November 2012.  

Secretary General of the Kenya Rowing and Canoe Association (KRACA), Seif Patwa reported:

Josephine Sinyo, trustee of the National Fund for People with a Disability officially started the event and encouraged the rowers to continue and commit themselves to this sport. Sinyo gave assurances of her continued support. Before the start of racing, Sinyo took the opportunity to sit in the rowing boat and get the actual feel of the boat by touching various components of the boat, as she is blind.

Jaxon Indakwa, the Assistant Commissioner of Sport brought greetings from the Commissioner and was impressed by the event and the large number of activities organised by the rowing association. Indakwa promised the support of the Ministry of Sport and also that he would personally follow up to support the selected athletes for the African Rowing Championships next month.

The event was also attended by Professor Julia Ojiambo, the Patron of Bumbe Rowing Club, as well as many other dignitaries.
 
After racing, the dignitaries where served with a special locally-prepared lunch cooked in the style of Saamia Community.
 
After the championships the Executive Committee of KRACA selected the national team rowers for the African Rowing Championships who reached the qualifying standards. Their participation will be subject to availability of funds from the Ministry of Sport:

• Lightweight women single sculls: Diana Natecho
• Lightweight men’s single sculls: Martin Ngugi
• Lightweight men’s double sculls: Imtiaz Abadallah and Steven Juma Ojaji
• Men’s double sculls: James Ochola and John Mugabe
• Men’s single sculls: Kelvin Echessa

 
To view a full photo gallery of the event, please click here.