Juniors’ triumph timely dress rehearsal for Tokyo

VIP SUPPORT: Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa (right) and Principal secretary Kirimi Kaberia (right) celebrate with Miriam Cherop after she bagged silver in the 1,500 metres race at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, on July 15, 2018. In the background is Kenya’s ambassador to Stockholm, Jose Sang. PHOTO | COURTESY |

What you need to know:

  • Also present was Kenya’s ambassador to Nordic countries, Joel Sang, Athletics Kenya Youth and Development Committee chairman Barnabas Korir among other officials. AK chief executive officer Susan Kamau singled out the team for discipline.
  • “The team has really done us proud and we are sincerely thanking them for the good discipline they showed throughout the championships hence the good results,” said Kamau.

Athletics Kenya officials are confident the country’s performance at the recently-concluded IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, are the right stepping stone towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Kenya topped the medals table with 11 medals — six gold, four silver and once bronze — at the championships that ended on Sunday.

Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei, who was with the team in Finland, praised the juniors saying Kenya will be the team to watch at the 2020 Olympics Games in the Japanese capital.

“You have done well and we know as you graduate to the seniors very soon, you will be featuring in the Olympics Games slated for 2020 in Japan and performing well there too,” said Tuwei at a dinner hosted by Sports and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa at the Sokos Ilves Hotel in Tampere on Sunday night.

The team was expected back home in the early hours of Tuesday.

Echesa and his Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia said they were impressed by the teams’ performance and he would continue to support upcoming athletes.

“You have done us, as a country, proud and that is why I had to call you we have dinner together as one way of appreciating your good work. It is not easy to be at the top, you did well and congratulations,” said Echesa.

Also present was Kenya’s ambassador to Nordic countries, Joel Sang, Athletics Kenya Youth and Development Committee chairman Barnabas Korir among other officials. AK chief executive officer Susan Kamau singled out the team for discipline.

“The team has really done us proud and we are sincerely thanking them for the good discipline they showed throughout the championships hence the good results,” said Kamau.