Kenya is undoubtedly a global athletics superpower. It has sometimes been referred to as the “master barn” of world-class runners. However, there is still room to grow the sport within the country and beyond and prevent its decline.
Kenya’s advantage over other nations is its depth of talent. No other place in the world has the highest concentration of the world’s fastest runners.
Unfortunately, factors such as poor leadership, poor public relations skills among runners, inadequate training facilities, lack of quality support staff around runners and the menace of doping, among others, hamper the growth of athletics in the country.
Below are some ways in which Kenya can further develop the sport of athletics
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Diversify beyond distance running
Some Kenyan athletes have proved that Kenyans are not only talented in long distance running. Running at a speed of 9.77 in the 100m, Ferdinand Omanyala proves that Kenyans can also do well in the sprint. Julius Yego, who learned how to throw the javelin on YouTube, remains the only Kenyan to have competed in field events at a major global athletics event so far. Recognizing that not all athletes in Kenya need to run long distances to succeed, programs and efforts should be put in place to attract more throwers, jumpers and sprinters to the sport.
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Empower the staff around the athletes to gain more skills
There are rapid technological advances that aid athlete performance, from footwear to training methodologies, nutrition, and other aspects of athlete development. Kenya needs to empower coaches, administrators and other staff working with the country’s athletes so that they can take advantage of the benefits that the new advancements offer them.
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Marketing the nation’s sporting events to fans and athletes
This is simple. The more a sporting event is advertised in all media, the more fans and athletes will attend. Athletics officials should allocate a generous budget for marketing athletic events in the country, as this will increase the fan base and attract more sponsors to the sport.
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Create more opportunities for athletes
One of the best ways to support athletes is to give them more opportunities to compete, as this will help them evaluate their progress and aim to do better in future competitions. Having athletes train for months without opportunities to compete can discourage them from their athletic careers. Competitions should also take place near their training grounds to help them save on travel costs.
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The National Federation must keep the athletes at the center of all decisions
Most successful businesses in the world put the needs of their customers first in every decision. Sometimes officials may be undecided whether to host a sporting event at a venue with fewer athletes to make their job easier, or at a venue with so many athletes that it will take many days to complete. Athlete comfort should always come first.
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Work well with local sponsors
Local companies are always looking for partnerships to market their brands. Kenyan athletes are the best bet provided they are approached by the right people in management and negotiated on good terms so that everyone wins in the end.
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Make the organization, management and results of any sporting event more reliable
Both amateur and professional athletes today strive for reliable results and awards from the events in which they compete. If it’s a marathon, for example, it should have timing chips, a certified course, and all the support a runner needs to meet their running goals and get reliable results.
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Build and maintain more educational institutions in the country
During the rainy season in Kenya, runners often have nowhere to do their track training because most of the facilities they use are muddy. For a country that is so proud of its runners, it is to be expected that there will be many training facilities in the areas where many of them train.
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Curb doping and protect clean athletes
While most Kenyan runners run clean and win many international races, their victories and skill are sometimes viewed with suspicion due to ongoing doping incidents in the country. The net to catch dopers should be widened to include doctors, drug providers, trainers and authorities who issue business permits to pharmacies that sell the drugs. Otherwise, single-handedly banning athletes is like pointing a fire extinguisher at the smoke, not the source of the fire.
