Athletics: Korir among eight athletes awarded Olympics Solidarity Scholarship

Winner 1500meters Men Emmanuel Korir during the Athletics Kenya National Trials Championship at Kasarani Stadium on Saturiday June 23, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

800m star Korir among eight athletes awarded Olympics Solidarity Scholarship

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has released the names of eight sportsmen and women who have been nominated for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Solidarity Scholarships.

The Scholarships, which are provided under the Olympic Solidarity Programme, will see the selected athletes receive funding amounting to Sh75, 000 ($750) per month.

The athletes include Intercontinental Cup 800m champion Emanuel Kipkirui Korir, Badminton’s Mercy Mwethya Joseph, Judo’s Carlos Ochieng Atieno, weightlifter Webster Ndoli Lukose and Shooting’s Gulraaj Singh Sehmi.  

Others are Brian Nunda Mutua (Table Tennis), Wrestler Mathayo Matonya Mahabila and swimmer Danilo Rosafio.

The aim of the scholarship is to provide the individual athletes with an opportunity to prepare for Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers that begin on July 1, 2019.

The names of nominees were provided by respective Federations. The list of applicants were then forwarded to the Olympic Solidarity verification.

In the press statement sent the media houses, NOC-K said: “In view of the importance of this process to the individual athletes, NOC-K is convening a Technical Committee made up of highly qualified and experienced Technical personnel to provide oversight to this programme”

The statement added: “The Technical Committee will oversight, guide, direct and in conjunction with the respective Technical/National Coaches provide the best programme to assist these athletes qualify.”

“This is just the start and part of what we trust will be a programme which will enable as many athletes as possible to get the best chance of qualifying to the Olympics.”