Junior athletes back home after medal harvest in Dar es Salaam
Athletics
By
Dennis Okeyo
| Mar 13, 2023
After topping the regional U20 and U18 with 37 medals (24 gold, 10 silver and three bronze), Kenya now has trained its gun towards the Africa Junior Athletics Championship set for Zambia in April 29 to May 3.
The team arrived in the country on Sunday, March 11, from the two-day championships in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania which attracted six countries.
Mercy Chepkemei, Peninah Mutisya and Judy Kemunto, who swept all the podium places in women's U20 1,500m final, will be hunting for tickets to the Lusaka contest at the Junior trials set for March 24-25 at Nyayo Stadium.
Jensine Ligoo who scaled 4.49metres to snatch girls' U18 long jump title after beating Tanzanian duo Siwema Matomgoro and Elizabeth Kiraryo to second and third places in 4.47 and 4.36 respectively, said: "I had prepared well going to the championships, so my performance was not a fluke. I get a few days rest then embark on preparations towards the trials."
Justus Muasya, a form four student at Kyome Secondary School in Makueni who won double gold in 5000m and 4x4m, has now put the African title in the crosshair.
"I'm still not yet decided which event I will be contesting between 5000m and 10000m, but I can assure that whatever event I will line up in, I will deliver victory," he said.
Athletics Kenya Youth Development chairman Barnaba Korir praised the youngsters for the impressive display and promised Kenyans similar results at the continental level.
"These are future stars, we must go to Zambia and sweep all the titles, we will beat South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana and Ethiopia. As a federation we will ensure good performance as well as urge the athletes to continue with school," said Korir when he welcomed the team yesterday from Dar es Salaam.
At the same time, a team of junior athletes returned to the country on Saturday after a month-long specialised training in Miramas, France.