Simon Kibura is something of a novelty in Kenya. While the east African nation are known the world over for their prowess in athletics, Kibura is into a more uncommon sport He plays kabaddi. Like many other youngsters in Kenya, Kibura too tried his hand at athletics. Despite dabbling in various sports disciplines, success eluded him. But an introduction to kabaddi around a year ago changed his life. “I have taken part in the 400m event at the national level and was also good at discus throw, acrobatics and boxing. In fact, I was selected for discus throw at the national trials in 2011. But I did not make the cut. I also participated in 1500m running at the school level. “It’s very tough to be a track and field athlete back home. There is a lot of competition with only the best going all the way to the top. It’s like cricket in India,” Kibura, who is a part of Puneri Paltans squad, told this paper on Wednesday. “One of my friends Njoronge told me about this game last August. Since I used to play rugby, I liked kabaddi instantly as the two games have a lot of similarities,” he added. “What I like about kabaddi is that it is competitive and tests your speed, agility and endurance. It is also a very dangerous sport.” But the initial days were far from easy. With kabaddi coaches difficult to come by in Kenya, Kibura had to rely on videos from Youtube in his quest to pick up the nuances of the game. “Initially, I faced a lot of problems because there are very few coaches in Kenya. We used to watch kabaddi videos on Youtube again and again in order to pick up the techniques. That was my first training,” he said. This is not Kibura’s maiden trip to India. He was a part of the Kenya team that took part in the Punjab Kabaddi World Cup last year. Experiencing the craze for kabaddi in the land of its origin strengthened his resolve to continue with the game. “At first, my family and many of my friends were sceptical. They thought that I was wasting my time by playing kabaddi. But once I represented Kenya at the World Cup, they became more supportive,” he recalled. “Playing the World Cup was a learning experience for me. As we played more matches against international teams, we gradually started to learn about new techniques and tactics. “Later, when we returned to Kenya, we started to use those newly learned techniques during training. “My training as a sprinter is also coming in handy. I am fast and have good stamina. My height and quick feet movements help me to tag opponents and return to my side of the court,” the lanky, 6’2” youngster added. Two weeks into his second stint in India, Kibura is impressed by the standard of the matches in the Pro Kabaddi League so far. He is yet to play a match for the Puneri Paltans, but as of now, is happy to cheer on his team-mates from the sidelines. “I’m learning the nuances of the game but my time will surely come. I’m happy cheering for them,” he added. Despite struggling to adjust initially, thanks mostly to the language barrier, the affable 25-year-old from Nairobi county has become a favourite of his team-mates. “Since I am the only African in the team, it was a kind of cultural shock for me. I also did not understand the language,” Kibura recalled. “They all call me bhai. At first I did not know what it meant. Now I am enjoying every moment of my stay.”Source: The Asian Age, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org
