Six Kenyan athletes who bagged Sh2.4 million in Association of National Olympics Committees of Africa (ANOCA) scholarships ahead of this year’s Tokyo Olympics Games received their sponsorship cheques Monday.
They were presented by National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President Paul Tergat at Kenmosa in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
NOC-K says the funds will help the athletes to have ample time for training amid the coronavirus pandemic which has continued to ravage the world and that saw a number of sports events halted across the globe last season.
Each athlete received Sh400,000 with the beneficiaries being Olympic 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Conseslus Kipruto, world 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot and world 800m bronze medallist Ferguson Cheruiyot.
Others are Commonwealth Games 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal, 800m athlete Emily Cherotich and Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Rodgers Kwemoi.
NOC-K acting secretary general Francis Mutuku said the scholarships were awarded based on exemplary performance to cushion the athletes from the devastating effects of the virus.
“The scholarships were awarded to athletes who have posted outstanding performance and it is meant to help them prepare well ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games. This also will cushion them from the effects of the virus crisis,” says Mutuku.
Timothy Cheruiyot said the scholarships came at the right time to allow those who were disadvantaged during the last season to prepare well for the Olympic Games.
“The scholarship has come in handy to cushion the athletes who were not privileged to participate in any race last season due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it will now give them an opportunity to prepare for the Olympics,” says Cheruiyot.
The NOC-K team is on a tour of the North Rift region to assess the level of preparations of athletes as the July 23 to August 9 Olympic Games draw closer.
“We want to see what they are doing now and especially now that we are moving around to present some scholarships to some of them as they prepare for the Olympics which will be held in July and August in Tokyo,” said Tergat after paying a courtesy call on Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago.
Already, Tokyo Olympics organisers said they will slash the number of athletes at the opening and closing ceremonies of this year's coronavirus-delayed Games as a report said thousands fewer will attend.
More than 11,000 athletes are expected to compete at the Tokyo Games, but anti-virus measures limiting the time they can spend in the Olympic Village mean not all will be able to attend the opening and closing festivities.
Organisers said they would also "reconsider" how many athletes can take part in the ceremonies, and how to get them into the stadium safely.
Tergat said there is need of ensuring that the young talents are well nurtured as early as now so enable the country to continue shining on the global arena noting that as NOCK, their resources are being channeled to this course.
“This country has massive talent in sports, we need to encourage our youths as we strive to grow the talent. Our resources are now going to the younger generation; we want to ensure that we tap those talents when they are still young as they grow and represent the country in the global arena,” he said.
Governor Mandago disclosed that they have agreed with NOC-K to help his administration to invest in other disciplines which the county and country is not participating in.
“One area we have identified that NOC-K can help us as the County Government of Uasin Gishu in terms of sports is with the technical expertise in other disciplines we are not participating in as a county and a country,” said the county chief.
He said Olympic Games are not all about athletics and time has come for the country to diversify on other fields.
“The Olympic Games is not only about athletics, there are several disciplines, Kenya has been excelling in athletics, track and field events, there are other disciplines we do not send participants and at the end of it all when the national record medal standing is posted, you will find countries like the US who did not win any of the athletic events, topping because they have invested in other disciplines we are not participating in,” said Mandago.
“We have identified that and we have agreed with NOC-K that they are going to support us in terms of technical experts in other disciplines so that we begin growing them from the ward level in our county to expand our participation in the Olympics” he added.
According to Tergat, they are planning to offer technical expertise to the governors to enable them to come up with other disciplines.
“You all know that we are relying on very few disciplines when it comes to bigger championships, within the governors’ forum there is need for these technical support to nurture these other disciplines,” he said.
Mandago also requested NOC-K to hold Olympic trials in the region to give the locals an opportunity to see those who are set to bring for the country a number of medals.
“The last Olympic trials were held here in Eldoret, and the fan base was amazing and it is our hope that the government will complete the Kipchoge Keino Stadium so that we can a repeat of “mini-Olympics.”
“The last time, we were in Rio in advance, and we are hoping that we are going to be in Tokyo in advance through the “mini-Olympics” at the trials because we know in terms of athletics and track events, for those who win here, chances of them winning in Tokyo are very high.
“We do not want to deny our citizens and fans the opportunity to see people who are going to bag gold and other medals for this country,” he said.
At the same time, Mandago revealed that the devolved unit is constructing a high altitude training centre at Chagayaa with the capacity of hosting 400 athletes.
“Our target is school children, those in primary and secondary schools who have talents. We want to ensure that there is balance between sports and academics, and that when they are in school, they focus on academics, but when on holiday, they are in camp training,” said Mandago.
“As Noreb (North Rift Economic Bloc), we are going to work closely with NOC-K to develop sports in this country. We think devolved units can play the role of nurturing athletes before the national government takes over,” he added.
