National Secondary schools 800m champion Lydia Barasa wants to make history as the first Kenya lady to compete at the Olympic Games in the 100m.
As one of the athlete based at the Kaptama Athletics Kenya Junior camp in Mt. Elgon, Bungoma County, Barasa said that after finishing her secondary education this year at Kikai Girls, she wants to train well and once she graduates to seniors, she will be ready for Olympics.
“I have came here to train so that I make it to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA,” said Barasa who finished third at the East Africa school games.
Her counterpart Sean Jebet, a student at Kapcherop Girls, who competes in discus said that she started her career by watching on youtube on how throwing is done.
“ I used to watch discus television especially Olympics and I saw that masculine people are in the game yet I was slim but I had to try, throwing 19m to win the school county games last year while in form three and this year, I was motivated to throw, hitting 26m and third at the region this year,” said Jebet.
She says that she debuted at the East Africa this year, finishing 4th after throwing 33.26 as my personal bet. This camp has helped me because I did not know how to rotate. If I can join any camp after the under 20, I will do well because I am capable and being someone wants to be like me but they have no chance,” she said.
Competing in the 5,000m, Kevin Kiplangat is another athlete hoping to compete at the Olympic Games after finishing second at the region.
“I want to make to East Africa by next year after increasing my speed because I come from a flat area but here, I have speed work and I have 14:00.,” he said.
Head of delegation Henry Lebo, who visited all the camps, starting from Kaptama, Chewoyet and Kamoi, said that there is need for more camps in almost all counties
At the same time, he said that areas of Bungoma there is need for another camp
“In kaptama, we had 56 athletes but there is need for more camps because the region big. The athletes wanted more of them and I also want to echo their concern to increase the number of camps. We want such camps in all counties. We also request the government to procure many training kits we need an academy in Mont Elgon,” said Lebo.
The retired athlete added that the camps should be a continues process not only during school holidays.
“If we have holiday camping, it becomes hard to monitor athletes’ talents during holidays. We need a permanent camp. In Chewoyet, it is a high altitude area and the problems remain the same. They come from banditry areas. We need a camp in Sambuturu because we have many athletes,” said Lebo.
In kamoi is the best camp and they have facilities and well known for producing steeplechase athletes. We also had under age athletes who are well organized and has athletes like Moses kiptanui and Ezekiel Kemboi. \
Mr Tiren has been doing well, working on hurdles since he is an expert in it.
I have been in these camps and when we train them very well, we cannot means top athletes in the 2028 Olympic Games