Dundori, Keringet yearning to produce more under-20 talents
Athletes from Dundori camp during a training session at St. Cecilia Pastorial Centre in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County
What you need to know:
- Coach Charles Ng'eno said they hope to have not less than 10 athletes in Team Kenya.
- The camp has 40 athletes; 24 men and 16 women.
- "Competition is high and those who made the team last time are not guaranteed positions. Training has bewn intensive with the juniors taking advantage with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions," said Ng'eno.
Nyandarua and Nakuru counties that produced two of Kenya’s eight gold medallists at last year's World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi are yearning for more glory.
Juniors from Dundori Athletics Club attending the under-20 camps at the St Cecilia Community Learning Centre, Nyandarua are eager to replicate Teresia Gateri's exploits come the World Under-20 Championships due for August 1 to 6 in Cali, Colombia.
Gateri, now a senior, guided Zenah Jemutai to a 1-2 finish as Kenya ended the long wait for women’s victory in 3,000m at the world under-20.
Gateri's victory was the first by a Kenyan since Mercy Chebwogen in 2012 Barcelona.
Dundori camp hosts 43 athletes; 23 women and 20 men, drawn from Nyandarua and Nyeri Counties.
Eric Muchiri, who runs 1,500m and 3,000m, reckons that the likes of Gateri have inspired them.
"I will see whether I will double or concentrate on one event especially 1,500m," said Muchiri, the brother of Bedan Karoki, the 2015 World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Half Marathon Championships silver medallist.
Muchiri missed last year's trials for the Nairobi event after he fell sick.
"I really want to represent Kenya just like my elder brother."
Rose Njau wants to emulate the likes of former Africa champion Grace Wanjiru and Heristone Wanyonyi in race walk.
"Wanjiru has dominated the continent winning nine Africa titles, and on the other hand, Wanyonyi won the world title to show ua that it can be done, "said Njau.
Dundori camp coordinator and coach Francis "Mfae" Kamau said he is confident that they will produce more athletes to Team Kenya after they had five in the national team last year.
"Covid-19 interrupted things last year, but God has given us opportunity to go back to normal life and good training," said Kamau, adding that they have improvised some training equipment to make the camp interesting.
Keringet produced the World Under-20 5,000m champion Benson Kiplang'at, who is seeking to defend his title in Cali.
Kiplang'at was part of the six athletes from the region that made Team Kenya.
Daniel Kinyanjui and Bernard Yegon, who finished seventh and ninth respectively during the last year's World Athletics Under-20 Championships, hope to make it to the final team again.
Others who are eying tickets from the region are Bernaline Chepchumba(1,500m) and Maureen Chepkorir (3,000m).
"I was still in school then but have cleared and that has given me enough time to train. I hope to make the team again," said Kinyanjui, who warned Ethiopian athletes to prepare for war in Cali.
"We have been working on our endurance and speed that was below par," said Yegon.
Coach Charles Ng'eno said they hope to have not less than 10 athletes in Team Kenya.
The camp has 40 athletes; 24 men and 16 women.
"Competition is high and those who made the team last time are not guaranteed positions. Training has bewn intensive with the juniors taking advantage with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions," said Ng'eno.
