National Olympic Committee of Kenya reveal Rio 2016 budget and number of athletes

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya has said it plans to send 118 athletes and 76 officials to Rio 2016 ©NOCK

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) has said it plans to send 118 athletes and 76 officials to next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, while the total cost of the event to the body is set to be around KSh 632 million (£4.1 million/$6.2 million/€5.8 million).

According to Kenya’s Chef de Mission Stephen Soi, that figure includes “preparation, qualification and actual participation in the Games”, though he has also claimed a separate budget of roughly KSh123 million (£799,000/$1.2 million/€1.1 million) has already been set aside for the qualification process.

NOCK chairman Kipchoge Keino had originally suggested the organisation would need KSh542 million (£3.5 million/$5.4 million/€4.9 million) to send the team to Rio.

He had also previously said they plan to have a delegation of 80 individual athletes as well as two teams, the men’s rugby sevens team and either the women’s volleyball or football sides, at the Games.

The 118 athletes they intend to send to Rio 2016, which represents a significant increase on the 51 they took to London 2012.

“We have budgeted for 194 persons for the Rio Games but more players and teams should work hard to qualify for the Olympics regardless of the numbers,” Soi said.

“We are projecting to win a total of 31 medals - 10 gold, nine silver and 12 bronze - in Rio.

“I believe with good preparations, 'Team Kenya' can garner or surpass the projection.”

Ezekiel Kemboi was one of two Kenyan Olympic gold medallists at London 2012 as he won the men's 3,000m steeplechase ©Getty Images

Soi also rubbished claims that Kenya’s haul of 11 medals at London 2012, which included two golds, was below expectations and hopes the conditions in Rio will benefit their athletes.

“Traditionally, Kenya has not collected more medals in Europe as compared to other continents,” he added.

“We are hoping for a good outing this time round because the climatic conditions in Rio are similar to Kenya.”

Kenya have won 86 Olympic medals, including 25 golds, since they first competed at the Games in Melbourne in 1956, with the majority of those coming in the long distance running events.