NAIROBI, Kenya, August 18- Athletics will feature for the first time at the East African Secondary School Games that open in Nakuru this weekend.Kenya Secondary Schools Association secretary general David Ngugi that seven countries will be represented at the week long extravaganza which is sponsored by Brookside dairy which to the tune of Sh14 million.
“The basis if these championships is to unite the youth of East Africa together. There’s a lot of talent in this region and by developing it will be boosting the economies of these countries,” said Ngugi.
The games opening ceremony will take place on Sunday at Afraha Stadium with defending football champions St. Mary’s Kitende of Uganda taking on Laiser Hill Academy.
Seventy teams will battle it out for honours in basketball, rugby, hockey and netball are some of the other sports which will also be held.
Brookside will further give an opportunity to the top five footballers to join Thika United, the company’s sponsored Kenya Premier League (KPL) team for trials with three good players being retained by the team.
The club will also conduct football clinics for the final two teams for both boys and girls representing the country during the championships.
“Eighty percent of the Thika United squad is made up of players who took part in the school games. Two of those players are also in the national under-20 team,” said Brookside marketing manager Peter Wesonga.
“The sponsorship is cemented on the basis of the company’s belief to ‘Nurture Sporting Talents of the Youth’ and we are proud to be able to bridge borders through our sponsorship,” he added.