A grand reception is being organized in Rift Valley towns of Eldoret and Nakuru by the families of 800m Beijing Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei and marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru.

According to local dailies on Tuesday, preparations to give the heroes a grandstand welcome has hit the highest gear in what could be the biggest reception accorded to Kenyan sportspersons in living memory.

Apart from cash awards from the government and corporate sponsors awaiting them, huge parties to toast to their honor are being lined up in their hometowns.

Their impending arrival has seen elaborate plans to fete the athletes, who delivered the biggest Olympic medal haul in Kenyan history thus far (five gold, five silver and four bronze), laid out in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Nyahururu towns.

"We are moving very fast to ensure they receive a heroes' welcome in Nairobi, where senior government officials will be on hand to welcome them back home," Sports Commissioner Gordon Oluoch told the Standard newspaper.

He added that Sports Minister Helen Sambili, who arrived in the country Monday night from Beijing, is to spearhead the welcoming activities. Oluoch said that accommodation arrangements were being made to house the athletes in the capital before they are transported to Mombasa, ease Kenya, where they are expected to hand back the flag to President Mwai Kibaki on Friday.

"The ceremony is being planned to be like no other witnessed before. The government is very proud of their achievements," Oluoch added.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Raila Odinga has congratulated Kenyan athletes for the historic medal haul at the just ended Beijing Olympics.

In a statement, Raila said he had talked to the team on phone. "I have just talked to our Kenyan team in Beijing to tell them that the entire nation stands in awe and in gratitude for their astounding feat."

"Our glorious men and women won five gold, five silver and four bronze in the most successful Olympic Games. They were victorious against the world's toughest athletes who train with virtually unlimited resources from a very early age," said the statement.

He said the achievements were particularly inspiring to the rest of the Kenyans. "We celebrate our athletes' prowess, determination and inherent abilities."

He said the country is grateful to the athletes because they have put Kenya back on the world map. He said the achievement was memorable because it had renewed unity in a way unimaginable a few months ago.

"The historic resilience that propelled Kenyans out of the crisis has seen them stun the world," he added.

"Some Kenyans might be tempted to take this great success in their stride, since we always win Olympic gold and other medals in track events. But the reality is that each medal is a result of painful and long lasting commitment and discipline. No less important, each year the competition for medals gets harder," said the statement.

(Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2008)