And perhaps even more emotional than qualifying for the championships itself is another reality slowly beginning to sink in, that the trip to Oregon will also mark the first time he steps onto an airplane.
“I still cannot believe that I won. My heart is still beating fast,” Pkiach says, his words carrying a mix of excitement, disbelief, and gratitude.
For many athletes, boarding a plane and travelling to competitions eventually becomes part of the routine.
Airports become familiar places, and international competitions become ordinary moments in their careers.
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But for Pkiach, this is something much bigger. It is not simply about travelling across continents to compete; it is about seeing a dream unfold before his eyes in ways he probably never imagined as a young boy running through forests in West Pokot.
“This will be my first time representing Kenya and also my first time boarding a plane,” he says.
Not too long ago, his reality looked very different. During his early school years, training did not involve modern facilities or specialised equipment.
He was a day scholar and often had to balance responsibilities away from athletics before finding time to chase his dreams.
“Back in Form One and Form Two, I used to train in the forest. During the day, I would go to work, and then around 2 pm I would head to the forest to train,” he opens up.
His training methods reflected the circumstances around him. While some athletes had access to proper gym equipment and structured environments, Pkiach relied on determination and creativity.
He found ways to build himself using whatever was available around him.
“I used to pull tree stumps as part of training. Sometimes when I think about it, I cannot believe I have achieved all this. I was the only one training in our village.”
Looking back now, even he struggles to comprehend the journey. The lonely training sessions in the forest, the hard work, and the sacrifices now feel like scenes from another life.
But somewhere in those quiet moments, without him even realising it, he was building something greater than physical strength.
He was developing resilience and discipline, qualities that would later define his journey.
His athletics story began while he was still in primary school, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted competitions.
When schools reopened, and he joined Form One, he started competing in the 200m and gradually worked his way through sub-county, county, and regional competitions before eventually reaching the nationals, where he finished third.
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The years that followed became a period of searching and experimentation. He moved between different races, trying to understand where he truly belonged.
He shifted from the 200m to the 400m, occasionally running relays and the 800m while still figuring out which event suited him best.
By Form Three, he had started enjoying success in the 400m, progressing through county and regional competitions before winning at the nationals and proceeding to the East Africa Games in Kakamega.
It was around this time that athletics stopped feeling like just another school activity and became something he genuinely loved.
“I later went to the nationals and won. I then proceeded to the East Africa Games in Kakamega, and from there I really started falling in love with athletics.”
But, despite his growing love for the sport, there remained one race that he simply could not embrace, the 800m.
Most people around him believed he had the qualities needed to thrive in the event.
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Pkiach, however, saw things differently. To him, it was a race he wanted to avoid as much as possible.
“People kept telling me to switch to the 800m, but I really hated the race. I kept ignoring them.”
There was, however, one person who continued seeing possibilities where Pkiach saw discomfort.
Sang’alo Boys coach Luke Saina had watched him closely and felt that the two-lap race could unlock something special in him.
“Earlier this year, I told him to focus on the 800m and leave the 400m, and he responded very well to the training,” Saina said.
The coach says it was never only about talent. Beyond his performances, Pkiach possessed qualities that made him stand out among other athletes.
“He has been training well and responding positively to the programme. If you give him a training schedule, he ensures he completes it no matter how difficult it is. He is also very disciplined and responsible. Whenever I am away, attending to other duties, he guides the rest of the athletes.”
Slowly, Pkiach began trusting the process. Then came the Kip Keino Classic Under-20 competition, where he finished third in the 800m after clocking 1:47.15.
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That performance changed everything.
“That performance motivated me to fully focus on the 800m.”
With growing confidence, he headed into the World Under-20 trials carrying one goal in his mind: to run 1:46.
He did not achieve that target in the semifinals after clocking 1:49, but he refused to allow disappointment to define him.
“Coming back on Saturday, I was determined to give my best. I ran 1:46.11 and won, and now I am fully focused on the 800m.”
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For Saina, the performance was simply proof that his athlete had trusted the process.
“Our target coming into the trials was 1:46, and he delivered. I believe with more training, he can improve to 1:45.”
As he now prepares for Oregon, perhaps the most beautiful part of Pkiach’s story is not the medal possibilities or the times he may eventually run.
It is the reminder that dreams sometimes begin in places people rarely look. Somewhere in Chorwai Village, a young boy once trained alone in forests, pulling tree stumps and hoping that his efforts would eventually mean something.
Today, that same boy is preparing to step onto an airplane for the first time in his life and represent an entire country.
