NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 26 – Sprinters and field athletes in the country may soon have a reason to smile after Athletics Kenya (AK) revealed plans to purchase modern equipment for them.
Chair of AK’s youth development committee, Barnaba Korir, said a fact-finding mission to France a fortnight ago unearthed affordable and modern facilities that can help Kenyan athletes improve their craft on the track and field.
“With me, representing AK in Miramas, was our treasurer (David Miano). Part of his responsibility was to scout for where we can procure modern equipment for sprinters and field events cheaply. He was lucky to find some and came back with some samples, which we look at it to see the ones we can acquire. After this, we expect the treasurer to travel back to France to secure these equipment,” Korir said.
He further revealed that this is part of a wider strategy to improve the standards of sprinters and field athletes, in partnership with the Miramas Athletics Club.
In April this year, 11 athletes benefited from a residential training at the club’s facilities in preparation for August’s World Under 20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Korir said more sprinters and field athletes will undergo another residential camp training in Miramas later this year, ahead of next year’s World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.
“We have in place an agreement for our sprinters and field athletes to train in Miramas for the World Indoors. They will be able to use the gym and work on technical aspects of their disciplines as well. We want to start early to ensure the athletes are prepared such that when they come back at the end of the year they will be to seamlessly continue training in readiness for next year’s competition,” he said.
Already, 400m specialist Elkanah Chemelil and long jumper Winnie Chepngetich departed for France on Friday morning to sharpen their skills at a residential camp in Miramas.
The federation plan to send more athletes to the Southern French city in November and Korir said they will soon engage the new government in discussions on how to support this programme.
“We also plan to send more athletes there in November. We want proper build-up for our sprinters and field athletes ahead of the World Indoor Championships. We are hoping to sit down with the new government to see how they can support us in this. Also, part of the sponsorship is coming from the Miramas Athletics Club,” he said.
Also accompanying Korir on this mission were National Olympic Committee-Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat, vice president Waithaka Kioni and secretary general Francis Mutuku.
NOC-K have been exploring the option of setting up a residential camp in 2024 in Miramas for Team Kenya ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The trip was an opportunity to explore the various training facilities Team Kenya can use to prepare themselves ahead of the opening ceremony on July 26 in the French capital.