Skating Celebs: Young Kenyan skaters gain massive experience in tour of South Korea

By OMULO OKOTH

Kenyan skaters' recent tour of Korea has opened their eyes and whetted their appetite for bigger things.

The boys and girls who were in Pyeongchang have set their target for 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Their hosts are in agreement. They say if the youths train hard, and they noticed the youths’ burning ambition to excel, then Sochi is not a tall order. They were in Korea in February.

 

Andaje going through the paces with Korean Eunbyul Lee. [PHOTOS: COURTESY]

"The experience we had with the Korean national athletes was big opportunity for the Kenyan inline skaters’ in ice skating," said Mungai.

Mellisa and Teddy said they were impressed by the class and it is going to be a turning point in their skating career.

Their Korean hosts want them to train more in the Asian nation due to high cost of training in Kenya. Ice skating is only available at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi where skaters are charged Sh800 per hour, a figure well beyond the means of regular inline skaters.

"In addition to that, potential inline skaters need to practice with ice speed skate but these high costs are inhibiting potential skaters," said Lee.

"That’s why 2011 Dream Program was remarkable experience for upcoming Kenyan inline skaters who are willing to participate in next Winter Olympic in Russia if they get a chance to training about ice speed skate," she said.