Aspiring motorsport youngsters in Kenya have been urged “to keep their feet firmly on the ground and reach for the stars”.
These were the sentiments of visiting World Rally Team drivers and Kenyan legends who graced the inauguration of the Talanta Motorsport Academy at the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) in Kasarani.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who officially launched the academy on behalf of President William Ruto, said the initiative marks a major milestone in Kenyan sporting history.
Ott Tanak, the 2019 World Rally champion, spent quality time with aspiring school-going boys and girls from the Kasarani environs and urged them to set goals and dreams in the ‘man against machine” game.
“You must continue to aim higher and live your dream as a thousand-mile journey begins with one step,” Tanak, one of the lead drivers of the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, said.
Petter Solberg, the 2003 world rally champion with Subaru, lauded the initiative, saying it will put Kenyan drivers on the world map.
“I finished the Safari fifth, twice in 1999 and 2000 and retired in the 2001 and 2002 editions. My advice to aspiring Kenyan drivers is that they should never give up as anything is possible,” said Petter, who was accompanied by his son Oliver Solberg, a WRC2 participant on Safari and previously a Hyundai Priority 1 driver.
The event was also graced by local rally legends among them Karan Patel, Patrick Njiru, Abdul Sidi and Azar Anwar among others.
DP Rigathi said the inauguration of the academy is a step towards promoting sports excellence as far as talent development and innovation are concerned.
Rigathi added that the country is already pronouncing its prowess in hosting and competing in gigantic motorsport events like the fabled Safari.
“We’re rebuilding and positioning Kenya as a motorsport hub and factoring in talent and investment on a global scale.”
