Dandora Youth FC hopes of their steady journey to the FKF Premier League got a major shot in the arm after landing a sponsorship deal with local airline Skyward Express.

The FKF Division Two side have entered into a two-year renewable deal of Sh4 million.

“We plan to support this team for as long as it takes,” said Mohammed Abdi, Skyward Express chairman as he handed over the cheque to Harambee Stars midfielder Johanna Omollo, who is the club patron and supports the club through Johanna Omollo Foundation.

“For us, it is not all about giving out the money, but empowering the youth so that they can build their lives through sports,” said Abdi.

“We want to support this team until we have many ‘Toshes’ (Johanna Omollo’s nickname). We want you to move to the Premier League and we will support you all the way then you can go and play in Europe.”

“When we see you playing for a big team in Europe; lifting the Champions League, then we will be proud and say that this ‘guy was in Dandora Youth’.”

Omollo, who plays for the Turkish side BB Erruzumspor, said the partnership has come at a better time for the club, which has for a long time, relied on him for survival.

“I have been thinking about how we bring professionalism back home and this is one of the steps that shows everyone that it is possible,” said Omollo.

Ezekiel Akwana was recently appointed the club coach and the former AFC Leopards and Sofapaka tactician believes that soon, Dandora Youth will be playing in the top tier.

“Our target is to gain promotion to the Division One League next season even though we have the dream of playing at the FKF Premier League soon,” he said.

AGENCIESOmanyala hopes his Olympics performance is an inspiration to many Kenyans

Kenyan sprint sensation Ferdinand Omanyala hopes his performance at Tokyo 2020 will inspire his young compatriots to take up short-distance running.

Omanyala made history in Japan on Monday when he became the first Kenyan to run in the semifinals of the men’s 100m at an Olympics where he lowered his own national record from 10.01 to 10.00.

He finished third in the first semi and could not qualify for Tuesday’s final via the two-fastest losers’ route.

“I’m happy to get back to the country and the love from the family and the country is just overwhelming,” Omanyala, who has become a local sensation since qualifying from Tokyo, told reporters upon his arrival in Nairobi on Wednesday.

“I’m so humbled that Kenyans have appreciated athletics and sprints because of him. I am glad he has made Kenya become known for sprints,” his spouse Lavenda Omanyala, also a sprinter, said while welcoming her husband back home.

Omanyala equalled his national record of 10.02 on July 31 on the day news broke that his fellow men’s 100m sprinter Mark Otieno, had been kicked out of Tokyo 2020.

Otieno was provisionally suspended after his urine A-sample tested positive for a banned anaerobic steroid and Team Kenya has since requested a test of his B-Sample.

In the semis, he beat among others, Jamaican Daegu 2011 world champion Yohan Blake, his role model who was making his final appearance at the Olympics.

Besides Omanyala, the women’s Kenya 7s team also arrived from Japan where they finished ninth.

XINHUA