Xinhua

Editor: Wang Hongjiang

NAIROBI, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Hefty cash rewards are awaiting triumphant Kenyan Olympic team that returns from Beijing late Wednesday.

A total of 22.5 million shillings (about 330,000 U.S. dollars) will be dished out to the medalists who finished 15th overall in the medal standings of the Beijing Olympic Games, having won five gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

The performance ranked Kenya top in Africa ahead of Ethiopia, who finished 18th overall with four gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

Gold medallists, Pamela Jelimo (800m women) and Brimin Kipruto (3000m steeplechase men) have traveled to Europe for Friday’s Weltklasse Golden League meeting in Zurich.

Jelimo is in the running for a share of the one million U.S. dollar Golden League jackpot alongside Croatian high jump Olympic silver medallist, Blanka Vlasic.

Both have won their specialities in the Golden League meetings in Berlin, Oslo, Rome and Paris. The Sept. 5 Brussels meet will close this season’s circuit.

Nancy Jebet Lagat (women 1,500m), Wilfred Bungei (800m men) and Samuel Wanjiru Kamau (marathon men) are the other gold winners. Wanjiru, who traveled to Japan, is expected in sometime next week.

A total of 57 athletes traveled to Beijing under Athletics Kenya’s David Okeyo, who was the chef de mission. He led about 60 officials — 22 being technical while the rest were part of the management and government delegation.

The national team will visit Mombasa State House on Friday, where they will hand back the national flag to President Mwai Kibaki and later be rewarded for their sterling performance.

Early this month, the government announced a new award scheme to reward the medallists as did other organizations which came on board with pledges that will push the total figure even higher.

The government pledged 750,000 shillings for gold medals, 500,000 shillings for silver and 250,000 shillings for bronze medals.

That figure increased with the coming on board of Safaricom, Equity Bank, Nakumatt Supermarkets and America East Africa Corporation. Safaricom promised to match the government offer.

Commissioner of Sports, Gordon Oluoch said more corporate companies had expressed interest to join in the awarding of the athletes and the figure was likely to climb. The five gold medallists stand to earn about two million shillings each.

Silver medallists will take home at least 1.5 million shillings while bronze medallists will pocket 1.25 million shillings.

“The performance in Beijing was fantastic. We have to show our love and support of these athletes by honoring them,” said Oluoch, who returned from Beijing last Friday.

“The government will be in the forefront to do so and they will give out their part. The corporate world will also be interested and I hope it will be good.”