Famend athletics coach Patrick Sang’ has urged Athletics Kenya (AK) to bid for greater competitions to extend Kenya’s stature as a sports activities vacation spot.
Sang’ says the nation has confirmed its skill and capability to host world-class occasions therefore the necessity for the federation to purpose greater.
“Any sport is pushed by the viewers and followers. Each time we’ve hosted world occasions, our ranking have gone very excessive. I do know the president right here (Jack Tuwei) will do extra to deliver us the larger ones (occasions),” Sang’ mentioned.
His feedback come amid plans by AK to bid for the 2029 World Championships after unsuccessfully battling Tokyo to host this 12 months’s version, set for the Japanese capital in September.
Kenya has additionally up to now hosted two main athletics competitions: the World Cross Nation Championships (2007) and the World Underneath 20 Championships (2021).
The nation additionally harbours ambitions of internet hosting a leg of the Diamond League circuit — following within the footsteps of Morocco so far as Africa is worried.
It’s at present the host of two World Athletics (WA) gold label occasions: the Kip Keino Traditional World Continental Tour Gold and the Sirikwa Traditional World Cross Nation Tour — the one ones in Africa.
Reflecting on the impression of the latter occasion, Sang’ mentioned the competitors has cemented Kenya’s place on the worldwide map whereas impacting native athletes with a platform to nurture their skills.
“We respect AK for lobbying for the sirikwa Traditional. We have now seen skills nurtured and nations introduced collectively. This occasion has carried out quite a bit for us as the game of athletics and Kenya as a rustic,” the 1992 Olympic 3000m steeplechase silver medalist mentioned.
The 2-time world 3000m steeplechase silver medalist additional urged athletes to not ignore cross nation, noting that it performs a pivotal function of their psychological and bodily preparedness over your entire course of the season.
Join free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the newest in African information delivered straight to your inbox
“Sure, I encourage athletes to run in cross nation. That is the muse to construct in direction of monitor and area. I encourage athletes to run in cross nation, whether or not native or overseas,” he mentioned.
Sang loved a vibrant profession earlier than hanging his spikes to enterprise into teaching.
Other than the aforementioned medals, he additionally gained gold within the males’s 3000m steeplechase on the 1987 All Africa Video games in Nairobi.
He’s the coach of two-time world file holder for the boys’s marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, and triple Olympic champion, Religion Kipyegon.
