14 year old Olivier Kigotho has made the national team, barely one year after joining Sadili Talent Training Academy in Langata, Nairobi. Olivier will be representing Kenya at the ITF/CAT U14 Circuit in Burundi and Rwanda from the 6th - 17th August 2012. I caught up with Olivier at Sadili as he stepped off the court following a tough evening training session. For a boy so young, he exuded quiet confidence and smiled a lot, so I was able to plunge quickly into my interview:
J - Why did you switch from playing
basketball to playing tennis competitively?
O – Well I had initially played tennis and
then started playing basketball because it was closer to home, while I was in school in the USA. Then when I
came back to Kenya, I started playing tennis again, because I liked it better.
J - How does it feel to be playing for the
national team?
O – It feels really good, like my hard work
is playing off.
J - When you started playing tennis again
was it your goal to be on the National Team?
O - Not exactly but I didn’t think that I
would be on the national team so quickly.
J - Do you have any short or long term goals for tennis?
O- For the short term I want to play well
for the national team, and get into my academy team too (which is actually quite hard) and just keep playing well. And long term, I guess, get a tennis
scholarship for a college.
J - in the USA? Europe?
O- I'm not really sure, still thinking
about it! (smile)
J- Is there any area that you feel you improved on the last year? Or things you would like to see improve?
O - Im not really sure... (shrug)
J- So your are going to Burundi and
Rwanda, how do you feel about competing there?
O - Quite nervous, actually
J - About anything in particular or just in
general?
O - In general, but I also know most of the players, and its going to be tough.
J - Do you have any particular goals for
these competitions? Winning the whole thing? Making it to quarters?
O - Not really just play my best I
guess....I just want to stay focused on that, so I train hard
J- What does it feel like being able to
travel to other countries doing something you love?
O – It feels good! I have been exposed to different kinds of
places and players. I think its the most important part. I have learned a lot.
J- Which are some of the countries you have
played tennis competitions in since you joined Sadili?
O - the UK, Uganda, Burundi, Rawanda, and, well Kenya...
J- Is there a country that you would love
to visit for a competition?
O- Yes! Spain, I've heard it has good
players and its very nice place! (laugh)
Sadili Oval Soccer Academy's John Macharia, led the Under 15 team to defend their title today, with this season at the Left Foot Sports Soccer League that will run through July and August this year, trouncing favorites Lavington Primary 2 -1 in the Under 15, with Macharia netting the first goal and team mate Jama, the second.
Sadili Oval CEO Liz Odera congratulated Ndayashimiye for giving back to the centre that developed him. "It’s great to have him (Ndayashimiye) back, he started training here at age nine. He is now going places. Training in South Africa and Europe has made him even sharper," Odera said.
