NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's former world indoor 800 meters champion Wilfred Bungei has called on Kenyans to support the team in the Olympic Games in Beijing.
The 28-year-old former 800m champion who is expected to joint the rest of the squad in China this week told Kenyans that "we are a family."
Bungei's plea came as the east African nation's Olympic squad made its much awaited entry into the Bird's Nest stadium during the opening of the Games on Friday.
Deputy captain Grace Momanyi, majestically stroke into the Bird's Nest, leading Kenyan inside the 91,000-seat stadium in Beijing.
The ceremony which was beamed live in the country and across the world from Beijing saw Kenyan Olympic team salute the fully-packed stadium as the 29th Games spectacularly opened with dancing, music and fireworks being displayed by the hosts.
Kenya has sent its largest team in Olympic history to Beijing with more than 100 members.
Bungei, who is also the Kenya Olympics team captain, said he is optimistic that the Kenyan contingent to the global sporting contest will scoop more medals than in Athens four years ago.
"We will continue to support our gallant sportsmen and women whenever we can because this is a part of Kenya's culture and a source of pride," he said in Nairobi when he received a cheque of 3.3 million shillings (about 49,000 U.S. dollars) from Samsung Electronics.
The money is a part of the funds the electronics company was giving to the Olympics team as sponsorship.
Beijing is the last Olympics for the Kapsabet-born athlete, who propelled himself and the country to fame in 1998 when he clinched the IAAF World Junior Championships in Annecy, France as a teenager.
"I will cross the bridge when I get there. It'snot long from there anyway," the 28-year old athlete said when asked what he would do after theOlympics. He did this in a time of one minute, 47.53 seconds.
An emotional Bungei spoke the honour bestowed on him to lead the country's Olympians and noted that the men and women had trained well.
"I am delighted by the morale of the team and the training we have done. This is for both athletics and other disciplines. I'm confident that our performance will be much better this time," said Bungei.
Bungei spoke as more than 10,000 athletes from around the world paraded at the colorful ceremony and will all be vying in various sports disciplines for around 1,000 medals in 302 events.
The Chinese put up a show, many people across the world said had been never seen in the sporting history and lived up to expectations of the nation that specializes in such ceremonies.
Many Kenyans interviewed admitted that the show displayed during the opening of the Olympics depicted Chinese art and evolution of their culture.
The east African which sent probably the best team to Olympics ever, was lined up to start off in the first day's program with the nation's top swimmer Jason Dunford doing the 100m butterfly and the 100m freestyle, after earning his qualification by taking part in several races in the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne Australia, and making it to the finals.
Aziz Ali (Light Heavyweight) was expected to lead the rest of the pugilists to the ring on Friday including Suleiman Bilali (Africa Light FlyWeight champion), Nicholas Okoth (Flyweight) and Bernard Ngumba (Feather Weight) will start off the boxing schedules.
Mathew Lidaywa was also expected begin Kenya's renewed quest for an Olympic medal in rowing. He will be doing the 2000m single's sculls event. Athletics of Kenya is known for, is scheduled to kick-off on Aug. 15.
