NAIROBI, Kenya, July 20- Kenya Athletics head coach Stephen Mwaniki says his team is not fazed by the pressure of competing on home soil at the upcoming Safaricom Africa Athletics Championships.
Mwaniki who spoke after taking the sprinters through their morning training session at Moi International Sports Centre said that he has advised the rest of to coaching staff to shoulder some of the burden so that the athletes can focus primarily on next week’s event.
“Pressure is coming I but I’ve told my coaches’ that they need to take the pressure from the athletes and to handle them carefully,” said Mwaniki.
“What we are doing is bringing the pressure to us not the athletes and making them relax and not too think too much of the event,” he added.
Kenya will be represented by 145 athletes at the 17th edition of the continental event which is being held in Kenya for the first time at the Nyayo National Stadium.
On Tuesday, the national team trained alongside some members of the Nigeria squad which Mwaniki said did not interfere with their training programme.
“It does not affect because as you know we are all Africans. Normally in Africa we share what we have so we are sharing and doing our workouts together,” said Mwaniki.
Mwaniki added that since the athlete’s received the national flag from President Mwai Kibaki on Monday the mood in the camp has been boosted substantially.
“Training has been good. Morale has been high and the athletes are ready for D-day when they can show their prowess. We are into the final bit of our training and preparing them psychologically,” said Mwaniki.
