Tergat promises better tidings for field athletes

National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat (centre) with Team Kenya medallists upon arrival from the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 21, 2018. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Tergat reiterated his call for the country to expand its scope to other sporting disciplines other than athletics if they hope to earn more medals from the Olympics and Commonwealth Games
  • The team arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before 8am on Sunday to a great reception from Nock officials and parents
  • Kenyan athletes hauled four medals; three gold and a silver, all from athletics to finish 26th overall from 206 countries. Kenya finished second behind China in athletics

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) president Paul Tergat wants Kenyan athletes participating in field events subjected to specialised training ahead of major competitions.

At the same time, Tergat reiterated his call for the country to expand its scope to other sporting disciplines other than athletics if they hope to earn more medals from the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Tergat was touched by the plight of Kenyan javelin throwers Ita Nao and Martha Nthanze, who competed at the recently concluded Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina without a coach. He promised it won’t happen again in future.

“It’s time to walk the talk now. We can’t have athletes in specialized events travel alone without proper coaches. Such specialised events will require at least a coach to travel with the athletes even with minimal resources,” said Tergat.

Tergat was speaking at a Nairobi Hotel during a breakfast meeting for the team that represented the country in the Youth Olympic Games.

The team arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before 8am on Sunday to a great reception from Nock officials and parents.

“We need to invest more in the youth and that journey must start now,” said Tergat, who challenged the sporting federations to strengthen their programs and teams ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games.

Tergat hailed the team’s good show despite being a lean team of 20 drawn from athletics and hockey after one swimmer Maria Brunlehner withdrew due to illness.

Kenyan athletes hauled four medals; three gold and a silver, all from athletics to finish 26th overall from 206 countries. Kenya finished second behind China in athletics. 

Nao, who won silver in javelin at the Africa Youth Games, finished fourth with a throw of 74.52m noted that his performance could have been better if he had a coach.

“I have been training alone and competed in the African games and Olympics without a coach,” said Nao.

Team Kenya captain for the Youth Olympics Games Jackson Muema is held aloof upon arrival at the Jomo Kenytta International Airport on October 21. PHOTO | COURTESY

Jackson Muema edged out Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi in the boys’ cross country race, while in the girls’ event, Edinah Jebitok of Kenya settled for silver, losing to Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat.

While Jebitok couldn’t hold on for the cross country win, her bold running was rewarded with that second-place finish, and meant the Kenyan clinched the 1,500m gold after running fastest on the track.

There was no change in the top three in the women’s steeplechase standings, as Fancy Cherono of Kenya came through third overall for her second stage win to secure the gold.

Chelangat’s win confirmed the Ugandan as the gold medallist for the women’s 3000m, the first stage of which she had won on the track. There was no movement in the medal places behind her, either, as Kenya’s Mercy Chepkorir came home fourth overall and second of the 3,000m runners for silver.

The Cross Country 4km races represented the second stage of the 1,500m, 3,000m and 2,000m steeplechase, with combined rankings determining the individual medallists.