The North Rift region is set to showcase an electrifying display of athletic talent this month as Elgeyo Marakwet County, famously known as the home of champions, hosts a regional athletics showdown aimed at selecting the finest athletes for a regional team.
Competitors from Turkana, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Samburu, and the host county will battle for glory at Kamoi Primary and Secondary Schools, with organizers stressing the importance of fair play and clean, drug-free competition.
“this is a rare opportunity to witness firsthand the exceptional talent emerging from the North Rift, highlighting the pivotal role of regional competitions in identifying athletes who could represent Kenya on the international stage,” said Mr. Boniface Tiren, Secretary of Athletics Kenya in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Mr. Tiren who also doubles as the Public Relations Officer for the North Rift region also underscored the importance of grassroots development, praising Athletics Kenya and the Ministry of Sports for establishing training camps across the North Rift.
These camps, located in Matumbei in Trans Nzoia, West Pokot Court in West Pokot, AIC Napu Secondary School in Turkana, Maralal Secondary in Samburu, and Kapkenda Girls and Kamoi Secondary Schools in Elgeyo Marakwet, are nurturing local talent and providing young athletes with opportunities to reach the highest levels of competition.
While celebrating the region’s talent, Mr. Tiren issued a stern warning against doping and age falsification, describing such practices as “a death sentence in disguise” that threatens the integrity of Kenyan athletics.
He called on athletes, coaches, teachers, parents, and county officials to uphold ethical standards, avoid performance-enhancing substances, and protect the reputation of Kenya’s sports system.
“We need athletes to run clean, win clean, and be respected,” he stressed, noting that fraudulent activities such as falsified birth certificates and doping not only undermine the credibility of competitions but also jeopardize Kenya’s global standing in athletics.
The upcoming under-20 trials, which will select athletes for international competitions in Eugene, USA, will be strictly regulated.
He said only athletes with verified Kenya passports and birth certificates will be eligible, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process.
Mr. Tiren urged all stakeholders in the North Rift to support these initiatives and protect the integrity of youth athletics.
“Fake age certificates or doping have no place in our sports system. We must safeguard our athletes, our reputation, and our legacy in athletics,” he concluded.
