No easy walk on the lawn

When Li Na, the 2011 French Open champion walked into the court to play her opponent, Sabine Lisicki, at this year's Wimbeldon championship she was almost sure that she could at the least advance to the next round. After all Na was coming into Wimbeldon on the back of a recent morale-boosting grand slam win that made her the first Chinese player to ever win a grand slam championship. Her opponent, Lisicki, placed 61 in the 2011 WTA rankings had wild card to thank for the opportunity to show what she's made of; Na was seeded third at Wimbeldon and ranked forth on the WTA rankings. Watching the two play there was no doubt that Lisicki was an opponent worth her salt; she played with her heart and mind producing world-class shots. Na, some may argue may have been tired after conquering the clay courts in France. Lisicki's wasn't fussed, she kept her eye on the ball, an effort that was greatly rewarded by Na's upset and subsequent exit for this year's grass court championship. Na, who took everything in stride, learnt that Wimbeldon is not a walk in the park.

Na's exit may be the best indication yet that there are no guarantees for any of the other established players. Serena survived what could have been another fall by drawing on her experience to advance past the second round of this grand slam.

Romosh

SWIMMING: BILLING SISTERS BAG 6 GOLD IN SA MEET

Germiston, South Africa - 1-3 April 2011 

Simran Billing, 11, and her sister, Anika, 12, harvested six gold medals and helped Kenya bag a total of 14 medals in the just-concluded 2011 Telkom Level 1 Regional Swimming Championship in Germiston, South Africa. Simran who made the hotly contested 11-year-old 100 m freestyle final on day one of the championship together with two other Kenyans, Emma Ogao, and Daniella Maina, clocked 1.16.02 to win Kenya’s first gold. Anika gave Kenya its second gold medal after tying at 1.12.77 with Namibia’s Nicole Pienaar in the 12-year-old 100 m freestyle final.

Anika went on to win three more gold medals, while Simran added another gold medal  - in days two and three of the long course event. Simran also won silver in 50 M freestyle, and both Billings teamed up with Yvonne Njoroge and Daniella Maina to bag four more silver medals in the 4x100 M freestyle relay. Emma and Dale Kimani, 11, won bronze medals in 100 m breaststroke, while Simran won bronze in 50 m freestyle.

Brilliant show

Anika, Emma, and Simran made it to the finals of all the events that they were entered. Other finalists were Dale, Salman Hasham, Sofia Hansen, Virginia Okumu, Emilia Oostman, and Daniella. This was the first major international meet for most of the young swimmers who represented Kenya in Germiston.

More than 40 clubs and teams participated in this year’s championship. The event, which brings together swimmers aged between 10 and 16 years from countries such as Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia, ended on 3 April 2011. Kenya’s girl’s team finished 10^th overall, while the boy’s team finished in position 34. Level 1 is the final leg of a three-part competition that kicked off in Durban (Level 3) on 18 March. Level 2 was held in Cape Town from 25-28 March 2011. Level 1 will end on 4 April. Kenya was represented by 20 swimmers, and accompanied by three Nairobi Swimming Association (NASA) officials.

Head of the Kenyan delegation and NASA chairman, Teddy Wamunyu, was very impressed with the team’s performance. “I’m happy with the team that represented Kenya at Germiston. Most of the swimmers have improved their personal best times drastically, shaving off as many as 10 seconds off their seed times,” Teddy said.

 These swimmers will be in action again at the National Junior Swimming Championship at the Aga Khan School, Mombasa, on 12, 13 May 2011. 

Japan - mind-boggling disaster

INSECURITY IN JAPAN

The world woke up to the devastating news that a tsunami - occasioned by a high magnitude earthquake - had hit the island of Japan. Fukushima, according to media reports, has been hard hit. If you think that the earthquake and tsunami were devastating, news that the nuclear reactors in this area could be letting out dangerous gases couldn't come at a worse time. I'm thinking Chenorbyl, and getting very worried!

It wasn't until the faces were put to the aftermath that the world started to understand  the extent of damage - to lives and property - that the survivors of this disaster have to deal with. While the miraculous survival of an infant is heart-warming, I can't take my mind off the hundreds of men, women and children who have to: live in darkness and without sufficient water and food, have to stay indoors so as to keep away from toxic gases, and mourn the death of their friends, colleagues and kin.

What can you do to help Japan? 

Maiden biking trip, in Hell's Gate

The plan was in place. Destination? Naivasha, in Kenya's Rift Valley. I set out with friends and family for a new adventure, biking in Hell's Gate National Park; at 2 pm. By 6.30 pm we had booked our camping site at Fisherman's Camp, and had a bite at the neighbouring Crayfish. We hit the sack and could have been asleep earlier were it not for noisy campers (who had pitched near us) who had had one too many. 

The plan was to rise up early, have breakfast by 7 pm and then set off to the Park. We woke up on time, but couldn't find the breakfast the staff at the Camp had assured us! In the end we went to a neighbouring camp. The good thing was that the breakfast was buffet, with something for everyone in our little group. The bad thing? We lost about 80 minutes. So it wasn't until 10 pm that we were finally on the hired bikes, hitting the Park's dusty trail. The sun was shinning bright and hot, the clear blue sky willed us on. 

We cycled past Fischer's Tower, and several herds of zebra. Everyone seemed to be happy and comfortable until we came to a sharp bend. On slowing down, one of my companions spotted a a buffalo less than 100 meters from the cycling path, in a nearby bush. All of a sudden she was cycling very fast! The panic button had been pushed, and we all cycled past. The buffalo wasn't aggressive, but we didn't have time to see what would happen if he changed his mind...Shortly after we saw a giraffe, and a herd of zebra. 

We had been cycling for about 30 minutes when we came to a T- junction. We rested for a while before heading to Olkaria Gorge. The sun's heat seemed to be soaking up our water reserves, so much so that by the time we arrived at the entrance of the Gorge we were very very thirsty. We took a short break and then decided it was best to start the return trip without unnecessary delay.

Only ten minutes after setting off two of the six members of the group decided it would be easier for them to push their bikes rather than cycle; they were tired! Shortly after that it became clear that we couldn't leave these two behind; we had to cycle slowly, stopping occasionally to let the walkers catch up. The blistering sun wasn't making the trip easier. Out went physical energy, and in came the will. 

All the while an 11-year-old girl, Emma, was cycling. She said, "I have to push myself. What then would be the point of coming on a cycling trip, and then walking all the way?" she mused. Her sibling, Rita, who was recovering from a bout of flu wasn't that strong mentally, but she kept going. It was obvious though that while her body was weak, she was willing to go on. I would give her a ride on my bike, until she would recover enough to cycle her own bike. 

We covered about 15 km that day, and while two members of the group were almost sure they would not be biking in the Park anytime soon, in the noon sun, the rest of us can't wait for the next challenge. 

The biggest lesson of the day? "Where there is a will there is a way," certainly. 

 was enervating us, so much so that we were all so thirsty . All of a sudden All of us were cycling alright until we came to a bend and saw a buffalo. Not too far from it, on the opposite side of the dusty path was a giraffe. 

What to bring:

• Long sleeved top
  
• Long, light trousers
  
• Bandana/wide-brimmed sun hat
  
• Sun screen
  
• Motivated companions
  

Journey to Turkwel

The Great Turkwel Race and Beauty Show was about to happen, and although I was not so excited about travelling the over 500 km there by road, I knew I needed to honour my invitation. So off I went, in the company of 24 other journalists from different media houses in Kenya, plus BBC; at 8 am. 

Contrary to my expectations the long ride on the raised outback track popular with adventure tourists was enjoyable. The guys on the track made things interesting with their out-of-this world stories and plenty of laughter. The driver kept our spirits high with popular local and international songs which he played on the tracks CD player.  

After two stops, one at Eldoret town for lunch and another at a trading centre in Kapenguria town, we finally rolled into Turkwel (in Pokot) at 10 pm. Dinner was served and off we went into our designated tented accomodation, to rest clean our now fatigued and dusty bodies, and rest.

The Race wasn't anything that you have come to associate with Kenyan athletes, despite the fact that some of Kenya's top runners like Richard Limo and Tegla Lourupe were present. Most of the race participants came as far as Sembei (in Uganda), and from neighbouring counties of Turkana and Marakwet; they were warriors. While a few of these warriors are still involved in occassional cattle rustling activities, most of them have since changed their ways and engage in alternative livelihoods such as trade and sport (athletics). Another interesting fact was that most of the young women who participated in the race have ambitions to become Kenya's next top models! These queens run like their lives depended on their feet. The winners received medals and cash prizes. 

The event organisers then gave us a ride to Turkwel Dam and Turkwel Gorge. There's only one word to describe the scenes at these locations. Wonderful. Wonder+ful, if you see what I mean. 

The day ended with a traditional/cultural beauty show. There were 26 contestants from three warring communities of Turkana, Marakwet and Pokot. Each one of these contestants had only about five minutes to charm would-be voters with their smiles and personalities - they didn't have a chance to speak the the mostly "foreign" audience. 

The winner of the beauty show was awarded a cash prize of KSh 30,000. All the wanna-be models received KSh 5,000. 

The following day we travelled back to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, stopping to take pictures along the way, and to have lunch. 

My hope is that this idea of fostering peace efforts through sports and beauty pageants will become an annual event; if only because I would like to visit Turkwel again! 

Tiger Woods still inspires

One of the world's best golfers, Tiger Woods, has had his reputation tarnished "big time" ever since revelations of his philandering ways were made. Of course I was very disappointed that Woods has had so many affairs. He is human alright, but what was his point in "committing himself, in marriage, to his Swedish wife? That said, I continue to be inspired by Wood's (not his philandering ways) discipline, talent and determination which saw him rise to become the best golf player of all time and one of the richest sportsmen in the world. Buddhist or not, Woods needs to find a way to get past "his transgressions", dust himself, and roar again. Go Tiger!

Reacting to the quake disaster in Haiti

In general, people "understand" and accept certain disasters and "refuse to believe" others could ever happen. Some of the disasters that are "acceptable" include those that happen when a computer malfunctions and a plane or speed train crashes. The earthquake disaster that has caused havoc in Haiti is an example of a disaster that people refuse to accept perhaps because they feel powerless and out of control. Suddenly their mortality is called into question, and inevitably people begin to question the existence of God. In most cases the discussions about God, whether He exists or not, are initiated by people who are happy to discuss matters of faith and religion out of the context of the said belief systems, causing hurt and confusion.

At the end of the day, humans live and die; that is a fact of life. The best thing to do when disasters happen, whether they are "small happenings" like the building that collapsed in Kiambu, Kenya, because of poor workmanship and following flooding in that region, or "huge ones" like the one in Haiti, is to help the survivors live with dignity by providing them with comfort, food, safe water and shelter.