Athletes from Mogonga PAG High School Athletics Training Camp are keen to storm Team Kenya to the World Athletics Under 20 championships.
The athletes are currently camping at the school preparing for the world show.
Mogonga is one of the 12 camps identified by Athletics Kenya to train athletes ahead of the World Under 20 to be held at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani between July 7 and 12.
Athletics Kenya Nyanza South Chairman Peter Angwenyi officially launched the camp yesterday morning.
He was accompanied by Olympic gold medalist Charles Asati, former athlete Thomas Osano, camp coordinator Haron Onchong’a among others.
He said AK Youth Committee identified the camp because of it’s record of producing junior internationals. The camp has 75 athletes, 33 boys and 42 girls, training under coaches Valentine Orare, Ronald Mogaka and Elkanah Nyambane.
Some of the athletes who have gone through the camp are World under 18 400m silver medalist Mary Moraa and All Africa Games 400m hurdles gold medalist Vanice Nyagisera.
Camp captain Brian Tinega said: “We started our training a week ago and all is well here. We are excited about the thought of representing Kenya at an international event.”
Tinega, Africa under 18 400m silver medalist added: “We want to follow in the footsteps of US-based David Saruni, Moraa and Nyagisera. They are an inspiration to us.”
National secondary schools 400m champion Mercy Oketch said: “We are training to win. I have only been to the East Africa Secondary School games. My target is to represent Kenya next year.”
Another youngster, Yuventina Kemunto, a 100m and 400h hurdler said she is following the footsteps of Nyagisera. “She was my training mate and I used to look up to her. I still do because she is our inspiration.”
Onchong’a launched the camp in 2012 and scores of athletes have gone through the camp.
“Despite several challenges that we face, we were ranked number two in Kenya after Keringet. We want to continue churning out talents,” said Onchong’a.
Some of the challenges include lack of a running track, lack of equipment including field implements and training kits, Onchong’a added. The County Government of Kisii recently identified the school which also holds the national boys' volleyball title as a talent academy.
Angwenyi’s committee donated a bag of maize and Sh10, 000 to the camp.
“This camp will get financial support from the government. We used it in 2017 and as AK, we were impressed by how athletes from here performed,” said Angwenyi.
