Refugee team head coach Janeth Jepkosgei is keen to pick a formidable team ahead of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
Speaking on Friday during the junior time trials at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret where top athletes competed in the short and middle-distance races, the former 800m world champion said the event was a great test for athletes after a long time of training.
“We have been training for some time and I am happy the World Athletics and Olympics Refugee team are here to support the refugees. This is a good initiative because it makes the refugees feel part and parcel of the society,” said Jepkosgei.
She said they are working on logistics to pick a team for the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar and later 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
“Working with young athletes, especially, the refugees is quite emotional because of what they have gone through. Some have never met their families since 2013 or before. We are here to better their future and I enjoy it and I want to do my best,” she added.
Gonzalo Barrio, the Refugee Olympics team program manager said they are in the country with two missions— to support talent and education for the refugees. “We have been building a sports Complex and we are impressed by the sports team we found there. We are pleased to see that athletes have proper education. We are witnessing athletes’ talents and refugee scholarships and all of them have been supported across the board,” said Barrio.
“We want to demonstrate to the world that given the opportunities, refugee athletes can perform just like any other athlete. We hope to run this programme beyond the 2026 Los Angeles Olympic Games,” said Barrio. The refugees narrowly missed a medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but hope to make up for it in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He explained that at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, they had 10 athletes and the number increased to 29 in Tokyo, Japan.
“We are promoting integration among refugees and other athletes across the world. We are also working on an education programme. We mix sports and education and that is what I do,” he concluded.
The senior programmes manager Joeren Carrin said they want to improve access to sports by refugees.
“We are amazed by the growing appetite for sports by the refugee team. We have enough talent in the refugees and we are here to stimulate that talent and appetite for sports and make it available for all,” said Carrin.
