Jepkosgei: Maintain U-18 camps countrywide to nurture future talent

What you need to know:

  • The 2007 World 800m champion Janeth “Eldoret Express” Jepkosgei has urged Athletics Kenya to sustain World Under-18 camps to help nurture young talent as well as to engage youth during school holidays.
  • The camps, which concluded at the weekend, were used to select a pool of athletes from which coaches will select a team to represent Kenya at the 2017 World Youth Championship in Nairobi.
  • Jepkosgei, the 2008 Olympic 800m silver medallist called on the central government, county governments and Athletics Kenya to come up with a kitty that will ensure the programme continues countywide.

The 2007 World 800m champion Janeth “Eldoret Express” Jepkosgei has urged Athletics Kenya to sustain World Under-18 camps to help nurture young talent as well as to engage youth during school holidays.

The camps, which concluded at the weekend, were used to select a pool of athletes from which coaches will select a team to represent Kenya at the 2017 World Youth Championship in Nairobi.

Jepkosgei, the 2008 Olympic 800m silver medallist called on the central government, county governments and Athletics Kenya to come up with a kitty that will ensure the programme continues countywide.

The 33-year-old who was companied of the 2013 World 3,000m steeplechase champion Milcah Chemos, was speaking during the closure of the World Under-18 camp at Kabirirsang camp,  Kapchemoiywa Secondary School in Kapsabet, Nandi County, on Saturday.

Jepkosgei said that most of the youth who have attended the camps that started in April last year and which were held over the school holidays, are either joining secondary school or finishing Form Four. She noted that that was the right age to impart skills in the young athletes.

Kabirirsang camp that is sponsored by Jepkosgei attracted 100 youth for the World Under-18 camp. “We had 40 who used to board while the rest commuted from home,” said Jepkosgei. “We might have turned away over 60 because of limited resources.”

Kabirirsang camp that Jepkosgei started in 2015, is among 17 camps that benefited from Sh 10 million funding from the World Under-18 Championship Local Organising Committee.

“We can’t afford to lose those who successfully completed the camp because not all will make the World Under 18 competition and we can’t afford to let the talent go down the drain,” said Jepkosgei, who thanked the government for its assistance.

Jepkosgei tipped sprinters Janeth Chepchirchir (100m/200m), Sharon Jepchirchir (400m) and Josphat Lekorine (400m) from her camp to do well at the World Under-18 trials.

She also singled out 800m athletes Emmanuel Kirwa and Vivian Chepkemei and Brenda Jeplenting (5,000, 10,000m).

Athletics Kenya’s director in charge of youth and development, Barnaba Korir, AK Central Rift chairman Solomon Mutai and former international Fatwell Kimaiyo attended the camps.

Korir and Mutai hailed Jepkosgei’s efforts of giving back to the society. “I want her to feel loved and encourage since her efforts won’t be in vain,” said Mutai.

Korir said that after the World Under-18, they will engage the ministries of education and sports to ensure that the camps continues over the holiday.

“We also want to government to adopt the USA system where talented athletes are given scholarships in local universities,” said Korir.