Paris 2024 Olympics: Medals are won at preparation stage

The world was awed watching Eliud Kipchoge break his own marathon record at the Berlin Marathon, inspiring us that no human is limited.

This certainly was not by luck or accident, but from a long and meticulous preparation. Our congratulations to Kipchoge on this great performance and the inspiration he provides to the world.  

The next Olympics will be held in Paris in July, 2024. That makes it 657 days to the Opening Ceremony of the Games, the celebration of athlete excellence.

Kenya first participated at the Olympic Games in 1956 and has featured in every edition since (excluding 1976 and 1980) scooping a total of 113 medals (35 Gold, 42 Silver, 36 Bronze).

What we need to understand is that Olympics is not an event but a process. Thus, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have effectively began.

Those who plan to participate are now in full-time training as qualification started immediately after the conclusion of Tokyo 2020.

Athletes and teams are all now trying to get requisite ranking points from as many international events as possible.

Team sports need not only train but also face international competition to stay at the top.

Without such opportunities, national teams risk stagnation or deterioration.
By now we should have teams already constituted and training as a unit with adequate exposure.

The only team that comes close to consistent international exposure is the rugby sevens men’s team who are constantly exposed by participating in the World Rugby Series throughout the season.

To gain perspective of what it may take, let’s look at Malkia Strikers. The national women's volleyball team was training and competing in Brazil for two months to prepare for the ongoing FIVB World Championships where the team managed just one win.

This is only a tiny but critical step toward the goal of parity with other teams that get weekly training from international-level coaches.

If the two months could be stretched to the remaining period before Olympics then and only then can we realistically expect them to be competitive, in addition to ensuring that their welfare is fully catered for.

As NOC-K, we have identified the qualification pathways for National Federations to be able to complement their preparation. We have trained federations on the development pathway for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. This is in an effort to help inculcate a culture of long-term planning which modern sports now require.

With limited resources, NOC-K has already identified athletes for sports scholarships, who have the best chance of qualifying.

Some 18 individual scholarships have so far been awarded in athletics, boxing, rowing, sports shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, triathlon, tennis, swimming and cycling.

Teams have also been identified strategically for support and development.
The grants complement resources from other sources like government and sponsors.

NOC-K with the affiliate federations plan to start early training and preparation.

We do hope and look forward to government complementing this through funding for international competitions for ranking points and exposure as well as overseas camps where infrastructure locally is still in development.

Winning is at preparation.

Mutuku is the Secretary General at the National Olympic Committee of Kenya. [email protected]