Hope at last for Kamariny stadium in Iten
A building at the initial stages, at the stalled Kamariny Stadium in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County on February 23, 2023. Elgeyo Marakwet County government graded to track to make it usable by athletes instead of them traveling to Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County to do speed work. The stadium is under the national government.
What you need to know:
- Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba Saturday revealed plans are underway to upgrade Iten's Kamariny Stadium to international standards
- The renovation of Kamariny stadium has stalled since 2017 but Namwamba has vowed to transform it into a high altitude training centre that will attract both local and international athletes to train in the region
- Namwamba also said that the Ministry of Sports will also upgrade the football pitch at Iten sports ground in Iten town that is normally used by local football teams and athletes for their morning run
The long wait for a new-look Kamariny is over.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba Saturday revealed plans are underway to upgrade Iten's Kamariny Stadium to international standards.
Namwamba made the announcement while speaking to athletes at Lornah Kiplagat Sports Academy during a visit of Iten on Saturday afternoon.
The renovation of Kamariny stadium has stalled since 2017 but Namwamba has vowed to transform it into a high altitude training centre that will attract both local and international athletes to train in the region.
“The conversation going on about Kamariny is that we need a state of the art international High Altitude Training Centre and we are at an advanced stage. We shall put up something impressive because we have moved out of renovations and construction.
“It will be a magnet that impacts athletics and even attracts people who want to train with our athletes. We shall be doing consultations with the coaches and the community before we start the project,” said Namwamba.
Namwamba also said that the Ministry of Sports will also upgrade the football pitch at Iten sports ground in Iten town that is normally used by local football teams and athletes for their morning run.
“Kenya’s number one export to the world are athletes and they have always marketed our country in the best way. We have to protect you in terms of spaces that you train, against doping and other things that might affect your performance.
“We have great athletes like the late Kiprugut Chumo, Kipchoge Keino among others who showed that they can be able to run and win clean without enhancing drugs that have been discouraged in competitions.
“Eat well and train hard because we have set up a multi-agency which involves all the arms of government and it will be hard for anybody who is thinking of doing such business,” added Namwamba.
He wished Team Kenya who will be competing at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary success saying that he is confident they will perform well.
On his part, Elgeyo-Marakwet County governor Wisley Rotich said they are working together with security agencies to get rid of rogue agents and drug dealers.
“We are going to set up a sports section at the hospital where athletes will be tested so that we have zero cases in terms of doping. We have sent two doctors to France for training and when they come back we shall be good to go and there will be no excuses from athletes,” said Rotich.
Some of the athletes who met Namwamba include women only record holder in marathon Mary Keitany, former Berlin Marathon runner-up Bethwell Yegon, Agnes Chebet among others.
