National Under-20 athletics team head coach Robert Ngisirei has warned that Kenya will face stiffer competition at the upcoming World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, as new rivals emerge on the global stage.
The championships will be held from August 5 to August 9, with Kenya sending a youthful squad of 23 athletes—12 boys and 11 girls—aiming to improve on the country’s performance at the 2024 edition in Peru.
Ngisirei, who has more than 20 years of experience coaching junior athletes, said Ethiopia is no longer Kenya’s only major threat, with countries such as hosts the United States and Uganda making significant strides in middle- and long-distance running.
“Our training has been going on well. We have had no injuries, and we pray that remains the case until the championships,” said Ngisirei. “Initially, our main rival was Ethiopia, but now we have new challengers such as the hosts, the USA, Uganda and others. We must therefore be serious in our preparations.”
The veteran coach said the athletes have been sharpening every aspect of their racing, including their finishing kick, to give themselves the best chance of winning medals.
“I have coached junior teams for the last 20 years. Most of these athletes are still students, while a few completed school last year. This is the youngest team I have ever had, and they are eager to learn. Based on how they are preparing, I believe they will perform well,” he said.
Looking beyond the World Championships, Ngisirei said the current squad forms the foundation of Kenya’s team for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
To protect their long-term development, he revealed that he prevented some athletes from competing at the Commonwealth Games trials, fearing they could be diverted into road running too early.
“As a coach, we need to guard our athletes from road running. I declined to allow some of them to compete at the Commonwealth Games trials because I could have lost nearly 10 of them. I want them to complete their journey in the junior ranks. This is the team we are building for Los Angeles 2028,” he said.
Ngisirei expressed confidence that, if properly supported, the athletes can develop into a formidable Olympic squad.
“If they are well taken care of, we have the best team for Los Angeles 2028. They should not be introduced to road running at such a young age,” he said.
The coach is optimistic that Kenya will surpass its performance from the previous edition of the championships and has set an ambitious target of at least 10 gold medals in Eugene.