Echesa assures juniors of cash awards

IN TAMPERE, FINLAND

Sports and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa has maintained that all medallists at global competitions will receive government cash awards.

He spoke when he visited the Kenyan team's hotel at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships here on Friday.

Accompanied by the ministry's Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia, Echesa said he was happy with the juniors' performance here so far.

“We have been impressed with what you have done so far by winning medals. President Uhuru Kenyatta is very happy and he has sent me to represent him here,” said Echesa.

He also said athletes winning gold medals shall earn Sh1 million with Sh750,000 and Sh500,000 for silver and bronze medal winners, respectively.

“Athletics has always done our country proud and that is why we will always reward good performance,” he added.

Echesa said he and the PS decided to travel to Finland to support the team instead of heading to the World Cup in Russia where a group of 20 legislators from Kenya are currently on a "benchmarking" tour.

“Our main focus is the athletes who are representing Kenya in this event and that is why we decided as a ministry to come and be with you instead of going to watch the World Cup games yet there is no one from our country playing,” said Echesa.

Kaberia asked athletes who have not been paid their allowances after winning medals for the country to present their cases in his office for action.

Kenyan athletes will be action today hunting for more medals with the focus shifting to the 5,000 metres men's race where a tight competition is expected.

World Under-18 silver and bronze medallists Edward Zakayo and Stanley Waithaka will be ready to repeat what they did in Kasarani last year by chasing down the world under-18 champion Solomon Barega of Ethiopia, but this time round eyeing gold and silver medals.

Zakayo told Nation Sport that the audience should expect a competitive race because the Ethiopians athlete are good at spoiling their plans in the race.

"It will be a race to remember and Kenyans should be ready to see a fast race because the Ethiopian athletes are known to spoil the party in the final lap,” said Zakayo.

He said they will plan the race well and it will not be the usual game people use to see a slow game.

“If we run a fast pace, by the time we finish the race they will be burning out but that will depend with our teamwork with Waithaka,” added Zakayo.

On his part, Waithaka reiterated that last year in Kasarani, Barega was able to beat them because they didn’t have any experience.

“Our training has been on how to beat the talented Barega and this time round it will be competitive for him. We had little experience last year when he beat us but today we have to revenge,” said Waithaka.

But it won’t be easy for the two Kenyans given that their big competitor Barega will be eyeing to defend his title he won in 2016 games in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

In the walk race 10,000m, World Under-18 bronze medallist Samson Ndigiti will be the sole representative for Kenya.

The athlete is optimistic that he will do well and upgrade the medal he won in Kasarani to either silver or gold.

“I know there is stiff competition here but my training has been good and the weather is great my target being a finish in the podium. With better facilities we can go far with our career and that’s my goal,” said the Kiendege High School student in Kisii County.

In 800m race, Solomon Lekuta and Ngeno Kipngetich will be targeting to qualify for the finals in Saturday’s semi-finals.

According to Lekuta, he is just focusing to win a gold medal and nothing is going to stop him from that.

“I’m optimistic of a good race and I will be going for nothing else other than a gold medal in the finals,” said the athlete.

Gloria Mulei will also be trying her luck this time round to be in the podium in the triple jump event.

Evans Bosire, who is the team manager, said that he is happy so far with the team and remains optimistic by the end of the championships Kenya will be in a good position.