Kenya’s National Olympic Committee (NOCK) has named a strong squad across nine sports for the Games that will be hosted at Santa Maria Beach on the island of Sal, in Cape Verde, from June 14 to 23.

Twenty-three year old Mneria will run in the men’s half marathon at the Games, with compatriot Florence Nduku Malyunga running in the women’s race, the Daily Nation reports.

Mneria, who ran the 10,000 metres in last week’s International Association of Athletics Federations Diamond League meeting in Stockholm, was a surprise runner-up in the Kenyan 10,000m trials for Rio 2016 but was selected for the 5,000m and failed to make the final.

In Cape Verde, Kenya will also feature in kite boarding, canoeing and rowing, beach volleyball, karate, beach football, beach handball, beach tennis and swimming.

“The teams are intensifying training with the kite boarding representative having his session in Mombasa, the woman’s half marathoner Florence Nduku Malyunga training in Machakos while the men’s marathoner Charles Yosey Mneria is conducting his fitness in Eldoret,” NOCK said in a statement.

“The rowing flag bearer Emmanuel Muriithi Mburu is training in Ruiru under the watchful eyes of Jacob Oner Owako, James Mwangi the karateka is training in Nairobi.

“The men’s and women’s beach volleyball teams are having their session at Nairobi’s Strathmore University while the men’s and women’s handball, men’s football and men’s tennis team are training in Mombasa.”

In women’s beach volleyball, Kenya will field the experienced Gaudencia Makokha who will pair with Naomi Too, while the men’s team comprises Ibrahim Oduor Odindo and James Gathua Mwaniki.

A total of 54 countries will compete in the continental assignment that will involve 11 different sports with up to 1,000 athletes expected to converge on the island of Sal.

The games will get under way with the beach handball, beach tennis, karate as well as rowing and canoeing on Friday, June 14.