Youth camp: Parken’s Under-20 dream shattered

Africa Youth champion Nickson Lesiya Parken in Makueni when Athletics Kenya officials led by Barnaba Korir visited athletes in the county. [Courtesy]

African Youth 1,500m champion is among athletes who received food and cash stipend in Makueni on Sunday. 

Had the coronavirus pandemic not disrupted global sports, Nickson Lesiya Parken would probably be in camp now preparing for World Under-20 championships. 

Parken, a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidate at Kyochome Secondary School in Ndumbi, Makueni County had been dominant at the junior level in the continental level and had great hopes of graduating to senior ranks with global title from Under-20 Championships that was was scheduled for July 7 to 12 in Nairobi. 

Now at 19, Parken will not realise that dream and now his focus is on finishing his secondary school followed by joining the senior ranks. 

“It’s been difficult for me since the virus outbreak. I had great hopes of turning around my athletics career this year and hopefully land myself a manager,” Parken said.

"Since winning 1,500m gold at the Africa Youth Championships in Algeria and then winning silver at the same event at Africa Junior in Ivory Coast, I was confident of making to the World Under-20 Championships.

“Psychologically, I had prepared to compete at World Championships and sit my KCSE examinations, but now it’s clear my chance of making global appearances is gone because I am 19, so if the championships is to be held next year, I won’t be eligible,” Parken said. 

The Under-20 championship is contested by athletes who are 19 years old or younger on 31 December in the year of the competition. 

Parken was among the fifty athletes who received food and cash stipend from Athletics Kenya and Ministry of Sports at Iuani, Makueni County on Sunday.

“It's a tough time for all sports, but people need to stay motivated. We feel appreciated by Ministry of Sports and Athletics Kenya for giving us foodstuff and cash.

"It will go along way in helping our families,” Parken, who boasts of a PB of 3:40 in his specialty said.

Barnaba Korir, the AK Youth Development Programme chairman urged the young runners to stay focused and conduct their individual training as directed by the coaches. 

“It’s unfortunate that some runners will be barred from the championships due to age because of the postponement of the Under-20 event but we urge you to stay focused and prepare to graduate into the senior ranks. You are the future of the athletics in Kenya, take it as a challenge,” Korir told the athletes. 

Last year, AK set up athletics camps countrywide to nurture talent ahead of World Under-20 but the camps could not start due to the Covid-19 disruption. 

“We were to continue with camp programmes but we couldn’t because of coronavirus. That’s why AK and Sports ministry has redirected some funds, meant for camps to assist athletes during this period.

“Over 1000 athletes and their coaches who were part of the camps will benefit from shopping worth Sh3,000 and  Sh3,000 cash,” Korir said while giving out the stipends.