Team Kenya coach Robert Ng’isirei aims for the sky
From left: Walk race athlete Margaret Gati, Judy Chepkoech (3,000m) and Debora Chemutai (5,000m and 3,000m) are taken through a training session by their coach Robert Ng’isirei at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County on June 26, 2022.
What you need to know:
- He expects stiff competition from Kenya's perennial rivals Ethiopia, Uganda, United States of America and United Kingdom.
The stage is set for the Athletics Kenya Under-20 national trials at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday and Saturday.
The event will see 415 athletes from 14 regions across the country compete for slots to represent Kenya at the 2022 World Under-20 Championships scheduled for August 1-6 in Cali, Colombia.
From: Judy Chepkoech (3,000m), Debora Chemutai (5,000m and 3,000m), Margaret Gati (walk race) receive instructions from their coach Robert Ng’isirei at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County on June 26, 2022.
Team Kenya will be seeking its third overall title in a row after winning the 2018 edition in Tampere, Finland where they bagged 11 medals (six gold, four silver and a bronze) and in Nairobi last year where the country's medal haul stood at 16 (eight gold, one silver and seven bronze).
Robert Ng’isirei, who was Team Kenya's head coach in the last two editions, told Nation Sport once the team is handed to him, he has to ensure the athletes feel at home so that they can perform better.
“As we head to select another team for this years’ edition for the junior championships, we have a lot to do in terms of bringing them together and I’m happy because in the past it has worked well for us,” said Ng’isirei, who is a teacher by profession.
He remembered the pressure they were under when Kenya was beaten in the men’s 3,000m race during the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi after Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku stormed into victory with his compatriot Ali Abdilmana settling for silver while Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel took bronze
"We missed a medal in the first event which was men’s 3,000m race and we were under a lot of pressure. We had make the athletes relax so that they can perform well in the remaining events. It worked well and we were happy because Kenya retained its team title.”
"Our athletes were also cowed by times posted by their competitors and this is a scenario that came up but we shall rectify that because the same athletes are competing again and if they make the team, I'm sure they will deliver the medals," he said, before praising Athletics Kenya and the Ministry of Sports for setting up camps for the juniors during the April holidays which he reckons have helped the athletes improve.
Athletics coach Robert Ng’isirei, who is the head coach for Under-20 athletes, explains a point at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County after taking his athletes through a session on June 26, 2022.
With some of the junior athletes having graduated to the senior level, Ng'isirei said that he hopes that those who will make the team will work hard and fill the gap left.
"I don't celebrate alone when the team wins because there is always a big team behind me and also the team manager who makes sure that the juniors are comfortable while in camp.”
He expects stiff competition from Kenya's perennial rivals Ethiopia, Uganda, United States of America and United Kingdom.
