‘Spear-throwing’ Nao sets his sights on gold at Kasarani

It has become a common thing at major sporting functions for speakers to single out World javelin champion Julius Yego when talking about Kenya’s enormous talent in field events.

Well, Yego perfected his skills in javelin by watching videos on YouTube, earning himself the nick name ‘YouTube man’.

But Kenya is on the verge of producing another world-class javelin thrower, one who has perfected his skills in spear throwing competitions while tending to his late father’s cattle in Narok South.

Youngster Ita Nao didn’t have the luxury of attending school early in life like his age-mates as his late father opted to take his two elder brothers to school, leaving him at home owing to lack of school fees.

“There was not enough money at home for all of us to go to school, so he told me to take care of our livestock while the rest were in school,” says Tao, who has just turned 17 and comes from a family of four boys and six girls.

It’s while he was away in the fields with the family’s livestock that Tao took part in spear throwing contest with his peers.

“I used to beat them at will. None matched the distance I could throw my spear or my club,” said Tao, who finally got to attend school in 2011, starting in Class Two at Olive Primary School in Narok South. He is currently in Class Seven at the same school. His other two brothers, Lekoko and Molongo, are in Form Two and three respectively.

“People are shocked when I tell them I am in Class Seven but they fail to understand my situation. There is no way I could have gone against my father’s directive. As much as he wanted both of us in school, he wasn’t able financially,” says Tao, 17, who was drawn to modern javelin while in Class Four.

“It was easy for me since what the coach did was just to show me the right skills and what to do,” said Tao, who credits his success to a certain Mr. Seur.

Tao would win the regional primary school games in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively but was on both occasions excluded from taking part in the national championships.

“No one explained to me why but that didn’t put me down,” said Tao, who went on to win the nationals in Mombasa this year before replicating his performance at the World Under-18 pre-trials in Eldoret last month and at national trials in Nairobi on June 14.

Tao, who won with a throw of 63 metres at the national trials but has personal best of 65m, is not only targeting victory at the World youth event set for Nairobi from June 12 -16 but is also eyeing a personal best of 75m.

“I want to be the one who will break Yego’s national record and I wish he visits us in camp,” said Tao.

Tao got to meet his idol Yego for the first time during national trials for 2017 World Championships in Athletics at Nyayo Stadium, where they had a brief chat.

“That is the first time I saw him perform live. I also got to talk to him for the first time and it was the best feeling ever. I hope to compete against him one day and talk to him more,” said Tao.