President Uhuru Kenyatta’s remarks over the weekend on possible ease of coronavirus restrictions have left athletics coaches hopeful of a return to gainful employment after being rendered jobless by the closure of camps and clubs.
Athletics fraternity from Nandi County, led by County Chief Sports Officer Ken Tanui, coaches John Chumo and John Kosgei say this is a move in the right direction.
Following the closures, hundreds of both professional and amateur athletes moved training to their backyards in the villages and urban residences leaving coaching staff with little or nothing to do.
Tanui said a return to training would be timely for all stakeholders now that the revised World Athletics calendar has already been released, with the first major championship — Turku Continental Tour Gold— set for August 11 in Finland.
“Our athletes will ensure they adhere to the new regulations to protect themselves from contracting Covid-19,” Tanui said.
“The release of the Diamond League calendar and the President Uhuru’s remarks has reduced anxiety among our athletes.”
“Let the government involve Athletics Kenyain finding an effective way of returing to training,” he added.
Most of the Kenyan professional athletes have signed contracts for these events and need to train adequately if they are to participate, Tanui said.
North Rift region is prefered training destination for most of Kenya’s top runners due to to the availability if high-altitude training camps, led by Kaptagat, which hosts among others world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and his half marathon record holder compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor.
Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion Consensus Kipruto, who also holds the world, Commonwealth Games and African titles has been training alone at home in Mosoriot, Nandi.
“I make sure I follow the government guidelines to avoid contracting Covid-19,” Kipruto said on the phone.
