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Athletes back home after Indian ordeal – Kenyan Tribune
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Athletes back home after Indian ordeal

by kenya-tribune
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By BERNARD ROTICH

Four Kenyan athletes who had been stranded in India following the coronavirus outbreak landed back home Friday after being bailed out by Kenyan authorities.

The Air India 961 repatriation flight departed the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, landing at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday after getting clearance from the Kenyan government.

Nation Sport learnt that Michael Kipyego, Millicent Gathoni, Benjamin Kipkasi and Isaac Kipkemoi flew from Bangalore on Thursday morning via Indigo Airline to Mumbai, from where they boarded Air India at 6.25am on Friday.

HAPPY TO BE HOME

Athletics Kenya paid for the athletes’ tickets from Mumbai to Bungalow (at Sh15,500 per person) and Sh71,900 from Mumbai to Nairobi per person.

Kipyego said he was happy to have finally come home after a “torturous experience” in a foreign land and having to depend on well-wishers after their cash reserves were depleted.

“I was to compete on March 5, and when I arrived in India, the coronavirus was getting bad and a lockdown was announced immediately, forcing the race organisers to cancel the event. I had to rent a house as I wait for things to normalize,” narrated Kipyego who trains in Eldoret.

When Kenya Airways announced that there was a flight that would rescue stranded Kenyans last month, he together with other athletes, were happy and went for registration, but the air ticket fare was “too high” for them.

Later, Air India announced that it would be flying to rescue Indian nationals in Kenya, and this was a golden chance for a number of Kenyans who missed the Kenya Airways evacuation flight a month ago.

The athletes decided to contact the federation who asked them to comply with the laid-down procedures as they sought tickets for them to fly home.

“I managed to contact the AK President (Jack Tuwei) who asked me, together with the other athletes, to follow procedures of that country and contact the embassy.

“We are happy because the four of us managed to arrive safely home though there are others who are still stranded there,” he added.

The four athletes were tested for the coronavirus and the results came back negative and by the time we were going to press last night, they were still holed up at the airport waiting for instructions from the government.

Gathoni, who had plans to race in various road races, managed to run in Guwati Half Marathon where she emerged second before the virus came calling.

“I had plans to come back home in April after participating in various races but I only managed one before lockdown came and the airspace was closed.

“Getting a chance to come back home was the best opportunity for me and I’m happy I will be able to meet my family again,” said Gathoni who trains in Nyahururu.

Tuwei warned athletes who travel without clearance from the federation saying that it will be mandatory to register before they fly out of the country for competition. “I’m happy the four athletes arrived home safely after AK identified them and with the help of the Kenyan Embassy in India, they will be reuniting with their families soon.

“I would like to ask all athletes who will be travelling out of the country next time to always have a clearance with federation so that they don’t get into problems wherever they are going,” said Tuwei.

REGISTER FOR EVACUATION

Seven other athletes are still stranded in India and, according to Tuwei, there are plans to bring them back home soon once the federation gets another flight leaving India for Kenya.

“We have other seven athletes who are supposed to meet conditions in that country before we get slots for them to fly back home of course in conjunction with the Kenya High Commission,” added Tuwei.

Early last month, High Commissioner Willy Bett put up a notice asking any Kenyans wishing to fly home to register for evacuation.

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