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The Kenya Swimming Federation on Thursday released a provisional list of 13 swimmers for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Only two of the 13 will end up competing at the Games, however. The two ultimate qualifiers will be chosen on the basis of times.
The preliminary squad includes:
- Men’s: Mohamed Issa, Mohammed Ridhwan, Maina Monyo, Harunani Maaahir, Tabuka Bifwoli, Danilo Rosafio, Talib Swaleh
- Women’s: Sylvia Brunhlener, Maria Brunhlener, Rebecca Kamau, Emily Muteti, Lucia Ruchti, Imara Bella Thorpe
Kenya sent four representatives to the 2019 World Championships – Maria Brunhlener and Muteti on the women’s side; Rosafilo and Issa Abdalla on the men’s. Kenya had two swimmers qualify for the 2016 Olympics (Hamdan Bayusuf and Talisa Lanoe). Kenya also won a bronze medal at the 2019 African Games in the 400 medley relay (Kamau, Muteti and the Brunelehner sisters).
Patrick Muyah, the interim chairman of the Kenya Swimming Federation, said that all 13 are training at their respective bases to prepare for the Games. Four of the women are based in the United States, including Kamau, who swims at Northwestern. The KSF has a memorandum of understanding for swimmers in the country to connect with the South African swimming association to allow access to training facilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
“It’s not just for the present but it’s a long-term deal which we hope will improve our swimmers,” Muyah said. “South Africa has excellent facilities and coaches and I am confident we will reap the rewards in many years to come.”
