Africa under 20 10,000m race walking champion Dominic Samson Ndigiti has set his focus to compete and win a medal at this year’s World Race Walking Challenge that will be held in Oman.
Ndigiti, the world under 18 10,000m bronze medalist said that he will be using the World Race walking championships ahead of World Championships in Oregon, USA as well as Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
After missing out to represent the country at the Olympic Games last year in Tokyo, Japan, the Nyamira based walker has three important events this year, focusing on clinching a medal for the country.
“Last year, ahead of the Olympic Games, I was out of form and missed to compete at the Olympic Games but with the coming events, I want to try my best to win a medal for this country in walking,” said Ndigiti.
He claimed that he is now fit enough to compete at the global stage and the journey will kick off at the World Race walking Challenge in Oman from February 1st to 5th.
“The championships will be my first race after graduating into the senior cadre. Apart from the Race Challenge, I will also be preparing to compete at the KipKeino Classic back home in May,” said Ndigiti.
The race Challenge will be the Ranking Challenge for Race walkers across the world where top ranked individuals will make it to the world championships.
“What I want is to be ranked top and qualify for the world championships as well as the Commonwealth Games. This will be a very busy year for me and the rest of race walkers across the world. I need other Kenyan race walkers to join the train for success,” he said.
He added that Kenya has a strong team of walkers but lacks race walking events in the country to compete at the global stage.
“I want to urge Athletics Kenya to have many races walking in the country. Through this, we shall win many race walking events. Any athletics events in the country should include race walking to build our career,” he said.
“When I won gold at the Africa under 20, it built my profile in the career and that I want to build on that for success,” said Ndigiti who is trained by George Kariuki.
Ndigiti and world under 20 10,000m race walking champion Heristone Wanyonyi have been friends and competed together during secondary school games and has urged him to enter into the championships.
Wanyonyi is among those junior athletes that have been nominated for this year’s Sports Personality of Year (SOYA) Awards that will be held in Kakamega on 19th January at the Bukhungu stadium.
“Wanyonyi has been my friend for long, competing together at the school games and now, we want to compete at the global stage together. At the same time, I want to wish him good results at the SOYA awards. A win for him is a win for the race walkers in the country,” he wished