How Kenyan sports personalities are keeping busy during coronavirus shutdown

With the coronavirus pandemic adversely affecting every sector of our lives, many Kenyan sportsmen and women have found ways to keep themselves busy.

According to Live Science website, there are now 169,387 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease, which is caused by the virus. By March 15, Kenya had confirmed three cases, with no fatality.

The virus has caused 6,513 deaths worldwide.

Nation Sport sought to find out how some sportspeople in Kenya have been spending their time now that there are no competitions and no training due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Hamisi Mohamed(Football coach)

Mohamed, who is famously known as Coach Kaka, is one of the founders of the Young Talents Soccer Academy, a mixed academy in Embul Bul, Ngong’.

He emerged tops in the “Future Stars” youth coaching programme in 2018. Coach Kaka visited Arsenal Soccer Schools in London, England in early 2019 and again in January 2020 for coaching lessons.

In his recent visit, Mohamed also held a meeting with Arsenal football Development coach at Highbury, Simon McManus. Here is how he is spending his time.

“We have closed the Academies until further notice. At the moment I am indoors and doing football research and preparing my future training sessions. To be honest we can’t wait to go back to the field. Allah is with us.”

Ismael Changawa (Tennis Player)

He represented the country recently at the Davis Cup World Group II play-off against Indonesia in Jakarta.

"I’m on holiday in Kisumu. Despite this coronavirus thing, I will be still training but I’m not traveling out of the country. I was planning to go play tournaments in Europe next month' but they banned athletes from going abroad. I will be training until this thing is over. I have been here one week now with my Belgian coach Steve Verkouter. But we are flying back to Nairobi tonight.”

Bernadette Kaloki (Former professional boxer)

Currently, she is a certified WBC, WBO and ABU boxing referee and judge. She is also into coaching boxing.

“I’m currently out of Kenya. I’m in Australia, and they are closing down almost everything, museums, theatres… I had come here for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix which was cancelled three days ago. I’m a petrol-head. I should be back home soon, and hoping things get better. In Kenya as a country, our economy does not allow us all to work from home.”

Paul Odera (Kenya Simbas coach)

He has also been handling the national 15-a-side men’s under-20 team that he guided to the Junior World Rugby Trophy in 2019 in Brazil after guiding Chipu to win the African crown for the first time ever by beating heavily-fancied Namibians.

“I’m staying at home; catching up on my planning and reading resources on teaching and coaching.”

Shabaan Ogola

Ogola is a Director at World Africa Boxing Association in North Carolina. He is a fight supervisor, a fight referee and judge.

He once served as Kenya Professional Boxing Commission (KPBC) Secretary-General, before moving to the US.

“Social distancing is the in thing in the US. Schools and other learning institutions are closed. Social gathering for sporting events has been cancelled. Most work places are deserted with people being asked to work from home.

The same goes for workouts: I have a big house, so I train indoors in my loft. It’s too risky to socialize. The infected droplets are the biggest fear. We sanitized everything including door knobs and water taps. Coronavirus is real, my brother.”

Tom Olal (Hockey coach)

The 50-year-old says, “Given that the elderly are the most affected, I have been doing my morning jog and practising social distancing. I was involved in coaching over the weekend encouraging players to do the same; indoor strength training and embracing callisthenics.”