Sports
The Athletics Kenya (AK) has launched its first ever affiliate office in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county to ensure athletes access the services easily and cost effectively as they focused on training at their camps.
The athletes were initially forced to incur transport and logistics costs as they were required to travel all the way to Nairobi to access the services which include registration among others.
Speaking during the launching ceremony of the new AK office, Eldoret, the AK’s President General Jackson Tuwei indicated that the office, which came up through the efforts of the Anti-Doping Steering Committee, was logistically and significantly good for the athletes.
He announced that registration starts with immediate effect from 24th July 2024 as he called on athletes from across the region to consider visiting the office to get all the services from registration, anti-doping and others.
“Why this Eldoret office for Athletics Kenya? First this is the epicenter of athletics. We want our athletes to get very close attention in terms of our services like documentations, registration and recommendations as they focus on training,” noted the AK President.
“We thought it important for us to open this office here to assist the athletes, athlete support personnel and also other people who may need information about AK services requirements. We want to make it easy for the athletes to get these documents in a more manageable manner,” explained Gen. Tuwei.
Athletics Kenya President General Jackson Tuwei (c) flanked by Ezekiel Kemboi (2nd L) and the youngest athlete, marked the event by cutting a cake, during the launching ceremony of the new AK office, Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on Tuesday July 23, 2024
Photos by Ekuwam Sylvester
Noting that Kenya is one of the cleanest countries in the world in terms of doping, General Tuwei further called on the public not to forget to recognize the efforts of the legends who contributed to the development of athletics in this country.
He noted that they have begun the registration of athletes, camps, coaches, officials and anybody who is involved in the athletics domain and they have already produced a programme for the exercise to begin with immediate effect so that they are able to know how many athletes were there, where they were, how many qualified coaches among other data.
In his remarks, A Snr Vice President AK Paul Mutwii noted that the office would effectively and adequately serve the people of the western part of the country especially Uasin Gishu and the neighbouring counties to help the Nairobi office to offer services more efficiently.
He lauded the area as a central point in terms of production of athletes noting that the establishment of the office was a great milestone for the AK and the region at large in terms of ensuring athletes got everything they needed at the office near them, which gives them enough time to focus on training.
“We are proud of this area as a central point where most senior and junior athletes come from. Without this area, athletics wouldn’t be there for us as an athletic nation,” said Mutwii. “It is a service office to cater for issues of athletics, supporting young athletes to inquire for AK services and to ensure issues of anti-doping are done effectively and adequately,” he added.
AK Central Rift Chairman Abraham Mutai urged athletes to take advantage of the office as he cited that the office would play a significant role in addressing issues of the athletes and at the same time facilitate information access to the general public about AK services.
On his part, Barnabas Korir alluded that they were decentralizing services to reach out to athletes at the grassroot level saving them logistical costs they used to incur while travelling to Nairobi and at the same time helping to decongest Nairobi main office.
In his remarks, the 3000 meters steeplechase world champion Ezekiel Kemboi, commended the Federation’s move to establish an office in Eldoret, noting that it would reduce time and cost spent by athletes to access AK services as they could easily get the same in Eldoret office for the Athletics Kenya.
“I remember in our times, we used to travel to Nairobi. It took like three days to get our documents ready. Now it is easy for us as it will take approximately half a day as the office is now at home Eldoret town. Athletes from as far as western Kenya and the entire North Rift region can easily access the services with much convenience as compared to when we had to travel to Nairobi,” said Kemboi.