Kenya: Nurture Young Talent

15 May 2011

editorial

Nairobi — Kenya has for long dominated the track and field competitions.

However, with just three months to the World Championships, most of the country’s best runners have not qualified.

The World Championships, the third biggest sports competition after the Olympics and the World Cup, allows entries of athletes who have clocked specified times. So far, only about 15 Kenyan runners have done so.

Although Athletics Kenya (AK) has voiced its concern about the small number of qualifiers, the problem is embedded within the federation.

With competitions abroad either cut down or restricted to citizens, Athletics Kenya has done little to develop its own one-day championships to gauge and expose emerging talent.

Instead, it relies on foreigners to prepare its athletes for major championships.

AK must get involved at the grassroots by setting up camps and employing coaches to manage and bring up new talent.

Foreign agents have long ruled the local athletics field, dictating which race runners can compete in.

Otherwise, how can AK explain its dilemma on which names to include in the marathon team for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, yet it has more than 160 athletes qualified?

AllAfrica – All the Time