Kenyan field events athletes and sprinters to start Olympic training

By Madellene Kalunda

Team Kenya’s Athletics was the first team to report for a bubble camp that will last for two weeks at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani for 2021 Summer Olympics preparations.

Volleyball and rugby players will be next to join residential camp.

Tokyo Olympic Games team manager Barnaba Korir said, “We have more than 40 athletes in camp. They are sprinters and field events athletes and they train communally. Marathoners will not train in the bubble camp at the moment as they will train on their own.”

The Athletics Kenya head coach said that coaches and the technical team will harmonise training programmes for the marathoners.

He said, “To have marathoners train individually is something that looks a bit tricky but not so much. Once coaches are named, that’s when the training programmes can be harmonised.”

Athletics Kenya have sent some athletes to the camp, in the following disciplines; 100m, 200m, 400m, 20km walk men and Javelin throw.

The athletes were accompanied to camp by their coaches, team manager, and technical team.

According to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, the number of athletes was reduced according to safety protocols and availability of rooms at the Stadion Hotel in Kasarani.

All athletes underwent a Covid-19 test on arrival at the camp and thereafter signed an agreement to abide by the set rules and protocols. Athletes who will break the rules will be kicked out of the residential camp.

Currently, only the marathon team has been named. Four ladies and four men will make up the final team to represent the country in Sapporo, Japan. They include:

The men’s team; Eliud Kipchoge, Amos Kipruto, Lawrence Cherono, and Vincent Kipchumba.

The women’s team; Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich, Peres Jepchirchir and Vivian Cheruiyot.

Most of the athletes in the marathon team are currently training in different parts of the North Rift.

The Kenya 7s men’s and women’s teams arrived from Spain and headed straight to camp in a separate location to manage the numbers required according to the Covid protocols.