# Kenya at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Kenya competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's eleventh appearance at the Olympics, except the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of the African and United States boycott.
National Olympic Committee Kenya (NOCK) sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games since the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. A total of 46 athletes, 22 men and 24 women, competed only in athletics (specifically in the middle-distance events and marathon), rowing, swimming, and volleyball, the nation's team-based sport at these games. For the first time in its Olympic history, Kenya was represented by more female than male athletes due to the participation of the women's volleyball team. The Kenyan team featured Olympic medalists Paul Tergat in men's marathon, and Bernard Lagat, who would emigrate to America a year later, in the men's middle-distance running. Among these medalists, Lagat only managed to add a bronze medal to his career hardware for the Kenyan team at these Games before his impending transfer. Volleyball team captain Violet Barasa became the nation's first ever female flag bearer in the opening ceremony.
Kenya left Athens with a total of seven Olympic medals (one gold, four silver, and two bronze), matching its record with Sydney four years earlier. Ezekiel Kemboi managed to capture the nation's only gold medal in the men's 3000 m steeplechase, and enjoyed his teammates Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech taking home the silver and bronze, as they all climbed on top of the podium for the second time in Kenya's Olympic history since 1992.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Gold | Ezekiel Kemboi | Athletics | Men's 3000 m steeplechase | August 24 |
| Silver | Catherine Ndereba | Athletics | Women's marathon | August 22 |
| Silver | Isabella Ochichi | Athletics | Women's 5000 m | August 23 |
| Silver | Bernard Lagat | Athletics | Men's 1500 m | August 24 |
| Silver | Brimin Kipruto | Athletics | Men's 3000 m steeplechase | August 24 |
| Bronze | Paul Kipsiele Koech | Athletics | Men's 3000 m steeplechase | August 24 |
| Bronze | Eliud Kipchoge | Athletics | Men's 5000 m | August 28 |

## Athletics

Kenyan athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Victor Kibet | 400 m | DNF | DNF | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Vincent Mumo Kiilu | 400 m | 46.31 | 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ezra Sambu | 400 m | 45.59 | 2 Q | 45.84 | 7 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Wilfred Bungei | 800 m | 1:44.84 | 1 Q | 1:44.28 | 1 Q | 1:45.31 | 5 |
| Joseph Mutua | 800 m | 1:45.65 | 1 Q | 1:45.54 | 3 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Michael Rotich | 800 m | 1:46.42 | 5 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Timothy Kiptanui | 1500 m | 3:37.71 | 2 Q | 3:41.04 | 3 Q | 3:35.61 | 4 |
| Bernard Lagat | 1500 m | 3:39.80 | 2 Q | 3:35.84 | 2 Q | 3:34.30 | |
| Isaac Kiprono Songok | 1500 m | 3:38.89 | 5 Q | 3:37.10 | 7 q | 3:41.72 | 12 |
| Abraham Chebii | 5000 m | 13:22.30 | 5 Q | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| John Kibowen | 5000 m | 13:19.65 | 4 Q | — | — | 13:18.24 | 6 |
| Eliud Kipchoge | 5000 m | 13:19.01 | 2 Q | — | — | 13:15.10 | |
| Charles Kamathi | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 28:17.08 | 13 |
| John Cheruiyot Korir | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 27:41.91 | 6 |
| Moses Mosop | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 27:46.61 | 7 |
| Ezekiel Kemboi | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:18.20 | 2 Q | — | — | 8:05.81 | |
| Brimin Kipruto | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:15.11 | 1 Q | — | — | 8:06.11 | |
| Paul Kipsiele Koech | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:24.68 | 3 Q | — | — | 8:06.64 | |
| Paul Tergat | Marathon | — | — | — | — | 2:14:45 | 10 |
| Erick Wainaina | Marathon | — | — | — | — | 2:13:30 | 7 |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Faith Macharia | 800 m | 2:06.31 | 6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Nancy Langat | 1500 m | 4:06.94 | 4 Q | 4:07.57 | 7 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Edith Masai | 5000 m | 15:01.92 | 5 Q | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| Isabella Ochichi | 5000 m | 14:55.69 | 4 Q | — | — | 14:48.19 | |
| Jane Wanjiku | 5000 m | 15:14.57 | 9 | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Sally Barsosio | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 32:14.00 | 17 |
| Alice Timbilil | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 32:12.57 | 16 |
| Lucy Wangui | 10000 m | — | — | — | — | 31:05.90 | 9 |
| Alice Chelangat | Marathon | — | — | — | — | 2:33:52 | 11 |
| Catherine Ndereba | Marathon | — | — | — | — | 2:26:32 | |
| Margaret Okayo | Marathon | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |

## Rowing
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heats | Heats | Repechage | Repechage | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Ibrahim Githaiga | Single sculls | 8:13.33 | 4 R | 7:25.58 | 4 SD/E | 7:40.78 | 6 FE | 7:29.02 | 29 |
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; R=Repechage

## Swimming
### Men

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Amar Shah | 100 m breaststroke | 1:10.17 | 58 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Eva Donde | 50 m freestyle | 29.47 | 57 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Volleyball
### Women's tournament
#### Roster

The following is the Kenyan roster in the women's volleyball tournament of the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Muge Kibet
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Weight | Spike | Block | 2004 club |
| 1 | Philister Jebet-Sang | 12 September 1984 | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 70 kg (150 lb) | 280 cm (110 in) | 276 cm (109 in) | Indian Hills Community College |
| 4 | Abigael Tarus | 26 August 1981 | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | 67 kg (148 lb) | 282 cm (111 in) | 261 cm (103 in) | Kenya Pipelines |
| 5 | Nancy Nyongesa | 18 June 1987 | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | 63 kg (139 lb) | 280 cm (110 in) | 260 cm (100 in) | Lugulu |
| 6 | Catherine Wanjiru | 7 August 1978 | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 285 cm (112 in) | 265 cm (104 in) | Kenya Pipelines |
| 7 | Janet Wanja | 24 February 1984 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 60 kg (130 lb) | 280 cm (110 in) | 280 cm (110 in) | Kenya Pipelines |
| 9 | Dorcas Nakhomicha | 31 March 1971 | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 70 kg (150 lb) | 295 cm (116 in) | 285 cm (112 in) | Telkom Volleyball |
| 11 | Roselidah Obunaga | 23 December 1973 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 72 kg (159 lb) | 284 cm (112 in) | 272 cm (107 in) | Missouri State University |
| 13 | Leonidas Kamende | 28 August 1979 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 291 cm (115 in) | 277 cm (109 in) | Kenya Pipelines |
| 14 | Violet Barasa (C) | 21 June 1975 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 68 kg (150 lb) | 308 cm (121 in) | 295 cm (116 in) | Panellinios V.C. |
| 15 | Gladys Nasikanda | 25 July 1978 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 290 cm (110 in) | 300 cm (120 in) | Union University |
| 17 | Mercy Wesutila (L) | 8 March 1976 | 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | 290 cm (110 in) | 300 cm (120 in) | Kenya Pipelines |
| 18 | Judith Serenge | 21 January 1976 | 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in) | 60 kg (130 lb) | 256 cm (101 in) | 245 cm (96 in) | Kenya Pipelines |

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Brazil | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 7.500 | 410 | 326 | 1.258 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Italy | 5 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 4.667 | 392 | 305 | 1.285 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | South Korea | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 1.286 | 355 | 352 | 1.009 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Japan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0.600 | 346 | 343 | 1.009 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | Greece | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 0.417 | 349 | 383 | 0.911 | |
| 6 | Kenya | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0.000 | 236 | 379 | 0.623 | |