National athletics managing body Athletics Kenya (AK) has said that the emerging new talents will be given all support and opportunity by the federation.
David Miano, Central Region AK Chairperson, said they have registered many new talents and they expect the entrants to perform well.
Speaking at Kerugoya Stadium in Kirinyaga County, Miano said there is a lot of talent that needs to be supported and given all resources necessary.
“We have upcoming talents as witnessed today, we will give them all necessary guidance and support for them to excel,” Miano said.
He was witnessing a cross-country event that was used to select a team that will represent the Central Region in the National Cross-Country Championship scheduled for 22 January 2022 in Eldoret.
He expressed confidence that many of the selected young athletes will make it into the national team. He recalled that central has been at the national level with elite athletes like Catherine Ndereba, Veronica Nyaruai, 5 times world cross-country champion John Ngugi and Bedan Karoki.
“We are sending our team to the national championship and we are confident that they will perform. We have been on the national map in this event remembering the likes of Karoki, Catherine Ndereba, and John Ngugi who is here with us today,” he added.
He appreciated the young talents that performed well in the competition and he said they will take over from where their senior counterparts left.
“These young athletes will pick from where our legend left and they can do even better,” Miano noted.
Miano said the federation has conducted their proceedings well and despite the fact that the calendar was affected by corona they have registered success.
The event brought together athletes from Central Region counties of Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri and Nyandarua.
During the one-day event, they conducted seven races which included 10 KM senior Men/Women, 5 KM under 18 ladies, 6 KM under 18 men, 6 KM Under 20 ladies, 8 KM under 20 men, and mixed relay.
10 KM Men was won by Emmanuel Kiprop followed by Michael Kamau and the third was won by David Shungea, all from Nyandarua County.
Rebeca Njeri (Japan Based) won 10 KM Women, followed by Teresia Muthoni and Mary Nyaruai.
David Shungea, the third 10 KM senior, said that they hope to perform well in Eldoret during national championships. He also asked the government to consider more support to junior athletes as early as possible so that they develop into successful well-established athletes in due course.
By Mutai Kipngetich
