Athletics Kenya install air quality sensor in Nakuru

Athletics Kenya (AK) has installed an air quality sensor at the Nakuru Athletics Club to ensure athletes train in a clean environment.

AK Communication and Sustainability Manager Maxwell Nyamu said the initiative, which started last year, is part of the ongoing partnership between AK, UNEP and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to deploy sensors at strategic playing and training grounds across the country.

The measure aims at analysing air quality at sporting venues around the country in a bid to improve its quality and athletes' performance.

Nyamu said AK was the first national athletics federation out of the 214 World Athletics federations to sign the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action Framework.

The initiative is exerting pressure on sports organisations to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

"Obtaining data on air quality is key to AK as it will help the federation get scientific information on what intervention measures need to be taken when AK is choosing a site for future competitions. This data will also help the devolved units address the issues which could be polluting the environment in a bid to ensure our athletes train and compete in a clean environment," said Nyamu.

SEI representative Romanos Opiyo said this is the first device in Nakuru and two more will be deployed in a school and Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

"We want to help AK generate evidence-based information in terms of air quality to enable the federation to meet the minimum requirements set by the UNFCCC reporting system," said Opiyo.

Opiyo said the data will enable athletes to make an informed decision on where to train.

"Research has shown that there is a clear correlation between the air quality an athlete inhales and actual performance in the field as it impacts the respiratory system of the athletes."

"We're keen on the wellbeing of our athletes because if our athletes continue training in a polluted area that would be tantamount to jeopardising their health and this is likely to translate to poor performance in the field," said Opiyo.

"We plan to mount more sensors in other strategic areas like Keringet where youthful athletes who have ended up representing Kenya in the global arena hail from and a health facility where air quality is heavily compromised."

Faith Kipyegon, who won the women's 1500 metres gold in the just concluded World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, hails from Keringet.

[email protected]