Leonard Bett, Ita Nao inspire upcoming athletes in South Rift

Steeplechaser Leonard Bett and javelin thrower Ita Nao have been a great inspiration to the upcoming athletes in South Rift.

Away from his tight schedule, Bett, the 2018 World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion, has found time to visit the under-20 camp at Silibwet Athletics Club in Bomet County, to give the youngsters tips.

In Narok, against the backdrop of deep cultural beliefs, Nao, the fast-rising 2018 Africa Youth Games javelin silver medallist, is behind the surge of girls into athletics at the Emanyatta Athletics Camp that he helped pioneer in 2018.

Bett, 21, and Nao, 20, now seniors, have represented Kenya at different competitions both at youth and junior levels.

Silibwet has 31 athletes; 23 men and 8 women-with most athletes specialising in track events apart from shot put thrower Leonard Yegon.

Yegon won the South Rift Regional Championships on Saturday in Kericho after hauling 13.6m.

Some 40 athletes - 18 boys and 12 girls - are shaping up at Emanyatta Camp that was moved to Masaantare Primary School this time round.

These athletes are part of 1,500 juniors drawn from 26 camps across the country preparing for the trials for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships planned from August 1 to 6 in Cali, Colombia.

"I have really enjoyed their company and I can tell you we have great talent here,” Bett, the 2017 World Athletics Under-18 2,000m steeplechase champion, said at the Silibwet Stadium where the juniors have been training.

“I joined them to give them hope and tell them that sports pay as long as you work hard and remain disciplined."

Besides Yegon, other juniors from Silibwet eying places in Team Kenya are Shadrack Rono and Justice Yegon, who won their respective races during the South Rift Regional Championships on Saturday.

The coordinator of Silibwet camp John Kimetto commended Bett for his presence in the camp saying it will inspire more juniors.

“I also want to thank Athletics Kenya and the government for the initiative because it will help identify, nurture and expose the juniors,” said Kimetto.

"I really want girls to take up athletics and I am really working hard to increase the numbers. I am one of the pioneers of this club and I want it to grow,” said Nao, who finished fourth in javelin at the 2018 Olympic Youth Games.

Amos Lagat scaled 2.5m in high jump during South Rift Regional Championships while 1,500m runner Sintei Musei, a form two student at Masai Girls, Lekishon Koila (1,500m), Deborah Laso (100m), Nesenua Kinyanguk (100) and Simintek Setek (400m) all won their respective events.

“Our performance can improve if we had the right training facilities like training shoes, running spikes and track suits,” said Musei.

Emanyatta camp head coach James Ole Seur said Nao has been doing some good work with the juniors, especially girls.

Seur said they have been rotating junior camps in sub counties to try and tap talent across. “We started in Emurua Dikirr, went to Trans Mara and now we are in Narok South. We shall move to Narok East next,” said Seur, adding that the camp has athletes from field events, sprints and middle distance.