Kenya’s sprinter Alex Lerionka Sampao has set a target of planting over 3,000 trees on the family land as a way of killing boredom during this hard trying of coronavirus pandemic that has rendered them to stay at home without competition or group training.
Sampao, who has begun to compete in 800m, with ambitions of doubling up in 400m, said the disease has rendered him immovable hence staying at home as well as nursing his father who was involved in a grisly road accident two weeks ago.
“For now am just at home planting trees in my farm, nursing my dad who was involved in a road accident three weeks ago. Plus reading though it is tough for us since we got a lot to pay for but no job and No races, so it is going to be a total hectic year,” he said the International Relations student at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
“It is high time that I now focus in planting trees to make our farm green again. That is the only way I can ensure that my time is well spent otherwise, boredom will kill me,” said Sampao.
Born in Eiti village, Sajiloni location in Kajiado county, Sampao said he had good deals with his management for the year including the Olympics Games as also his major arrangement and preparations that were very lively underway, but that dream now is getting pretty hard to predict the future.
“If at all the system will resume back to usual business on time I will be there in 800m, that is our plan but right now am just at home with no plans this year with such shutdown. Am indoors trying to ensure that I do the best,” said Sampao.
He said that sports is a social activity that it is mainly affected by the pandemic so it will come back after fading off of the virus.
“I know it might also take time to stand firm again. In the last two years, I have been running well too in the two races but I have been in preparation for 800m mostly. 800m is more commercial and easy to shoot than 400m to us Kenyans,” he said.
He said he was advised by his coaches to take up 800m for a long time but I decided to take up the challenge.
“It was been advice from many coaches, in the aspect of posture, running style and physic, though I have ignored for long, I found it right after my first 800race and I liked it. After several experiments and trials I notice yes I can do both and better,” he added.
He started the two-lap race in 2018 where he started with local meets recording good time of 1:46.
“This year, I began well during the Nairobi Athletics Kenya meeting, managing to compete at the finals without too much struggle which was a good season opener,” he said.
The former Kirobon High school student under youth coach Barnabas Kitilit, the athlete is coached by Italian international Jahney Gidhiney, who also coached former Olympic 800m champion Wilfred Bungei, William Yiamboi and world championship 800m silver medalist Amel Tuka among others.
“Now that we are worried to stay uptown so I can’t stay at Ngong plus my Dad situation at the moment am compelled to stay at home which quite hard to train here and again no gym is open at the moment following the government directives. So I train once a day just to maintain my weight and fitness” he said.
Source: The Star Newspaper