•Leshoo will next year join Cloud Community College where he will study Sports Management while representing the institution in college competitions.
•Leshoo spoke to reporters at Mogonga PAG when Athletics Kenya Youth Development Committee chairman Barnabas Korir visited the camp.
National secondary schools and East Africa 800m champion Francis Pesi Leshoo has landed a scholarship to study in United States.
Leshoo is expected to join Cloud Community College next year, where he will study Sports Management while representing the institution in college competitions.
He will be following in the footsteps of former schoolmate, David Saruni, who is studying at the Western Kentucky University. Leshoo is among 94 athletes camping at Mogonga Secondary School in readiness for the 2020 World Under-20 Championships set for Nairobi between July 7-12 at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
“This is a very good opportunity for me. I will have a chance to further my studies as well get an opportunity to train under good coaches,” said the Mogonga PAG High School alumni.
“I’m now targeting to emulate my role model and home-mate David Rudisha. However, my target at the moment is to feature in next year’s World Under-20 championships,” added Leshoo, who represented Kenya at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina.
Leshoo spoke to reporters at Mogonga PAG when Athletics Kenya (AK) Youth Development Committee chairman Barnabas Korir paid them a visit.
Korir said the camp will help restore Gusii-land’s lost glory in athletics. “This region used to dominate athletics and I’m confident in the next few years, athletes from this region will recapture this dominance especially in short races,” said Korir.
“We also want to focus on field events. We already have two champions from here thus , the world U-18 400m silver medallist Mary Moraa and Africa 400m hurdles gold medalist Vanice Nyagisera,” said Korir.
Onchong’a said since the year 2015, Mogonga has been ruling all sprints and relays during the regional and national secondary schools championships. “We want to continue with this dominance. All we need is the necessary support. I want to have at least five athlete in Team Kenya for World Under 20,” added Onchong’a.