Kamwosor camp creates culture for youth to flourish

Athletics coach Ruth Bundotich. [Dennis Okeyo, Standard]

Kamwosor Junior Athletics Training Camp in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County is inching closer into joining the big league as a production line for junior runners in Kenya. 

The camp, which was founded in 2011 by a primary teacher Ruth Bundotich, is the reason behind the rising talents that dominated Athletics Kenya national country championships cum trials in February, where four of its runners made the national team to the postponed Africa Cross Country Championships. 

Agnes Jebet, 18, is one of the notable athletes sharpening her skills at the camp and has plans of dominating the junior ranks before graduating to seniors.

Jebet won silver in 3,000m during the Youth Olympics in Argentina 2018 before finishing second at the 2018 Africa junior Cross Country Champion in Algeria.

She is also a two-time East Africa junior champion and led in the hunt of U-20 title in girls’ Africa Cross Country meet, in Togo. 

Other top juniors in the camp include Marion Cheruiyot, Naomi Jeptoo and Shadrack Kipchirchir, who was to compete in boys’ U-20.

All the youngsters were preparing for the World under-20 championships that were to be held on July 7-12, in Nairobi.

“My dream to compete in under-20 is still intact, even though the event was pushed to next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Jebet, who will sit for her Form Four national examinations at Kapkenda Girls High School. 

“I’ll still be within the age bracket to be eligible to compete in the 5000m event.”

Bundotich, the coach and founder of the camp, believes her athletes will one day graduate into world-beaters.

“I have always loved athletics. It has been my passion since I was a child. Because I didn’t make it to elite running, I decided to continue with the dream of nurturing the youth to realise my dream,” said the coach.

“It’s been a struggle to set up the camp, but I’m glad that step by step, I’m realising my dream. It’s been a difficult period because my athletes have missed two opportunities of representing Kenya at Africa cross country and world under-20, but our prayers are that all will be well soon,” said Bundotich.

“I’ve been a mother to most of these young athletes and I support them in all ways.”

The athletes were among 50 junior runners in the Athletics Kenya Under-20 camp in Torongo, which was set up last year ahead of the world under-20 championships.

A total of Sh7 million was allocated to facilitate the 19 World Under-20 training camps in Kenya.

“As Athletics Kenya, we decided to remember these youngsters during this difficult period,” said Barnaba Korir, who is AK Youth Development Programme chairman.