Athletics
The French ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet on Saturday presided over the signing of a deal between Iten town (popularly referred to as home of athletic champions) and Miramas city in France which will see coaches from the county trained in France.
Noting that sports can be used to bring about gender equality, the ambassador said the programme will train an equal number of male and female athletes adding that it will have a special focus on the fight against gender based violence. The diplomat added that the partnership will also look into the development of sports medicine saying as much as the county has talents, there was need to ensure that they were in good health.
Elgeyo Marakwet countygovernor, Wisley Rotich welcomed the partnership saying though the county that hosts Iten town has been producing leading athletes, it lacked qualified coaches something which has led to the athletes losing in international races.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi wins the 2km men loop in the 3rd Cross Country build up series held at the Iten sports ground.
The governor said the training programme will kick off from this month and will run up to December 2025 with the coaches being trained both in Kenya and France. He said the coaches will in turn come back and train others at home including teachers in both primary and secondary schools who he said were instrumental in producing young talents.
Rotich added that the partnership will create career opportunities for Kenyan athletes or coaches who demonstrate aptitude for coaching adding that successful coaches will have an opportunity to continue their training and professional career. The ambassador was accompanied by three mayors from France including Miramas city mayor Frederick Vigouroux.
In other news, Cynthia Chemweno from KDF couldn’t hide her joy as she won the 10km senior women race during the third cross country AK build-up series held at the Iten sportsground. Chemweno said this was the first time she was participating in the race and didn’t expect to win saying she was happy to have started off well.
She said that she was not sure of winning because of the stiff completion saying she would now continue training as she awaited for her coach to tell her which future race she would participate in. Emmanuel Wanyonyi won in the 2km men loop while Naomi Korir took the 2km loop women.