Kenya at the 2006 Winter Olympics explained

Noc:KEN
Nocname:National Olympic Committee of Kenya
Games:Winter Olympics
Year:2006
Flagcaption:The flag of Kenya
Alt:The flag of Kenya
Location:Turin
Competitors:1 (1 man)
Sports:1
Flagbearer:Philip Boit (opening and closing)
Gold:0
Silver:0
Bronze:0
Appearances:auto

Kenya sent a delegation to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, from 10–26 February 2006. This was Kenya's third time participating in a Winter Olympic Games. The Kenyan delegation consisted of one athlete, cross-country skier and three-time Olympian Philip Boit. In his only event, he finished 91st in the men's 15 kilometre classical.

Background

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya was recognised by the International Olympic Committee on 1 January 1955.[1] They have competed at most Summer Olympic Games since then and through 2016 have won exactly 100 medals at Summer Olympiads.[2] Their first Winter Olympics participation, however, only came in the 1998 Winter Olympics, and Kenya was making its third Winter Olympic appearance in Turin. Kenya has never won a Winter Olympics medal. The Kenyan delegation was the first to check in at the Turin Olympics.[3] The 2006 Winter Olympics were held from 10–26 February; a total of 2,508 athletes representing 80 National Olympic Committees took part.[4] The delegation consisted of a single athlete, cross-country skier Philip Boit.[5] He was the flag bearer for both the opening ceremony[6] and the closing ceremony.[7] Boit was Kenya's only Winter Olympian until Sabrina Simader competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics, a games at which he served as chef de mission.[8]

Cross-country skiing

See main article: Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Philip Boit, who had gained international recognition after placing last in the 1998 Winter Olympics,[9] competed in his third Olympics as Kenya's sole representative.[10] Boit was a runner in his native Kenya, who had been scouted by American sportswear company Nike, who wished to train runners as cross-country skiers.[11] In 1998, Boit finished the 10 kilometer classical race in a time of 47 minutes and 25.5 seconds, 20 minutes behind Bjørn Dæhlie, the gold medalist;[12] delaying the medal ceremony, Dæhlie remained at the finish line to congratulate Boit. Boit saw snow only two years before his Olympic debut in 1998, and later named his first child after Dæhlie.[13] He was 26 years old at the time of the Turin Olympics.[14] On 17 February, Boit finished the 15 kilometre classical in a time of 53 minutes and 32.4 seconds, which put him in 91st place out of 96 classified finishers.[15] The gold medal was won by Andrus Veerpalu of Estonia in 38 minutes and 1.3 seconds, the silver by Lukáš Bauer of the Czech Republic and bronze was taken by Tobias Angerer of Germany. When Kenya next qualified for a Winter Olympics, in 2018, Boit was one of the coaches and said of the athlete Sabrina Simader, "Being the pioneer of skiing in Kenya, I am glad that my legacy continues as Simader heads to South Korea."[16]

Distance

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kenya – National Olympic Committee (NOC). International Olympic Committee. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180323205427/https://www.olympic.org/kenya. 23 March 2018. live. dmy-all.
  2. Web site: Kenya. Sports Reference. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180308042228/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/KEN/. 8 March 2018. dead. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: Kenya's one-man team a flag-bearer for Africans. Kimutai. Aileen. 8 February 2010. The Age. 28 July 2018. Melbourne, Australia. https://web.archive.org/web/20180728201059/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/kenyas-one-man-team-a-flag-bearer-for-africans-20060208-ge1pu9.html. 28 July 2018. live. dmy-all.
  4. Web site: Turin 2006 Winter Olympics. International Olympic Committee. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180626205348/https://www.olympic.org/turin-2006. 26 June 2018. live. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: Kenya at the 2006 Torino Winter Games. Sports Reference. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170713173254/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/KEN/winter/2006/. 13 July 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: List of flag bearers – Torino 2006 – Olympics. 10 February 2006. Eurosport. 29 April 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429005607/https://www.eurosport.com/olympics/torino/2006/list-of-flag-bearers_sto830383/story.shtml. 29 April 2018.
  7. Web site: Flag Bearers for the Closing Ceremony – Olympic News. 26 February 2006. International Olympic Committee. 29 April 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161016180938/https://www.olympic.org/news/flag-bearers-for-the-closing-ceremony-2. 16 October 2016.
  8. Web site: Kenya's Philip Boit overjoyed to pass torch to Simader. 10 February 2018. The Star. 6 August 2018.
  9. Web site: Philip Boit and Bjorn Daehlie: Cross-country friends. Savage. Maddy. 24 January 2014. BBC Online. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170226002405/http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25861305. 26 February 2017. live. dmy-all.
  10. Web site: Torino 2006 Official Report – Cross Country Skiing . https://web.archive.org/web/20120612013304/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2006/Results/CrosscountrySki.pdf . dead . 2012-06-12 . Torino Organizing Committee . LA84 Foundation . March 2009 . September 22, 2009 .
  11. News: Associated Press. Skiers From Kenya? Just Do It – Nike Gets Criticized For Initiating Feel-Good Story Of Winter Games. 21 October 2016. The Seattle Times. 14 February 1988. https://web.archive.org/web/20170411051001/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980214&slug=2734357. 11 April 2017. live. dmy-all.
  12. Web site: Olympic Winter Games - Men's 10km C OFFICIAL RESULTS 12.02.1998. International Ski Federation. 6 August 2018.
  13. Web site: Philip Boit, Kenya’s first Winter Olympian. 11 December 2017. International Olympic Committee. 6 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Philip Boit Bio, Stats, and Results. Sports Reference. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170704144238/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/philip-boit-1.html. 4 July 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  15. Web site: Cross Country Skiing at the 2006 Torino Winter Games: Men's 15 kilometres. Sports Reference. 28 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170803134351/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/winter/2006/CCS/mens-15-kilometres.html. 3 August 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  16. Web site: History beckons: Wanjiku carries Kenya’s hopes to next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea. Kiguru. Muigai. 10 January 2018. The Star. 6 August 2018.

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