The Director of Youth Development at Athletics Kenya Barnaba Korir has emphasized the collective dedication behind Kenya’s success, urging the nation to celebrate and invest in the future of its athletes.
Reflecting on current and past achievements made by the Kenyan athletes in world events that they took part in, Korir urged Kenyans to appreciate the collective effort behind the successes.
“I think as Kenyans sometimes we complain a lot, but we should know that it’s the work done by Athletics Kenya that has uplifted this country. Because we are used to winning, we take it for granted and forget that there is so much input from our athletes, coaches and athletics fraternity in general,” said Korir.Korir emphasized that medals are just one aspect of Kenya’s athletic success but the dedication and resilience of athletes, coupled with their role in elevating the nation’s global standing, are achievements that deserve recognition and pride.
He also highlighted the financial benefits brought by Kenyan athletes competing globally, particularly in marathons, which not only bring glory but also foreign currency into the country.
“We should also appreciate that it’s not a matter of the medals only because when you look at the events we also have an opportunity for our athletes to win prizes that help us earn foreign currency and if you sit down and calculate the figures it is amazing. We have not been looking at the financial side to understand and appreciate what our athletes and the coaches have done for this nation.”
As Kenya looks to the future, he called for continued investment in talent development and infrastructure to sustain the nation’s legacy in athletics.
By Mkalla wa Mwambodze
