The Kenyan government on Wednesday urged the country's Olympic team to go for medals and show total commitment when they compete in next month's Beijing Games.

Sports Minister Helen Sambili called on the Olympic team composed of runners, boxers and swimmers to represent the country with patriotism and challenged them to ensure they do the country proud.

"When you compete in Beijing please show the commitment similar to what Kipchoge Keino showed when he won gold in 1968 despite being told not to run by doctors. Set your targets and make sure you achieve them," Prof. Sambili said when she officially opened the training camp.

The east African nation's team will depart for Beijing in two batches early next month for the Beijing Games which are scheduled to start on the August 8.

The Kenyan team whose representation at this year's Olympics is billed as the strongest ever will be gunning for more medals in the five disciplines represented.

The Kenyan contingent comprises of 45 athletes. The first batch of five boxers, three swimmers, two Taekwondo players and one rower will leave thecountry August 1 while the second contingent will depart a day later.

The minister challenged the athletes to break new grounds by winning an unprecedented number of gold medals.

"I hope that you can bring back seven gold medals and set a new record for the number of medals won at the games because this is a new era in Kenya and you have the ability to start a new era in Olympic Games," she said.

The boxing squad will have extra work to do this time round after their heroic exploits in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

This year's team hopes to erase the memories ofthe Athens Olympics where Kenya finished with a paltry seven medals having collected only one gold medal in their traditional turf, the 3000m steeplechase.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2008)