Nandi County governor HE Dr. Cleophas Lagat has flagged off Kenya under 18 Team who are going to represent the Country in the upcoming 2017 IAAF under 18 Championships to be held on 12th to 16th of July 2017 at Sports Centre Kasarani. The event will be the first of its kind to be held on the African soil.
Lagat called on the team to give their best in the competitions, citing some of the sports stars in the field that have emerge through the IAAF Youth championships, ‘’ History has proved that U18 IAAF championships that best sportsmen and sportswomen have emerged, for instance Eliud Kipchoge, Consenslus Kipruto,Usain Bolt, Mercy Cherono among others. I urge all the athletes who will participate to take the competition seriously, this can be a stepping stone to brighter future’’ added Lagat.
Reports reveal that Nandi County has an approximate of 36% in total of the medal standing the Country has ever achieved. In the recent Rio Olympics Nandi county contributed to a third of the medals achieved.
Nandi County is famous for it is prowess in athletics, popularly known as the Source of Champions. Lagat said that the County pride itself for having pioneered the first athletes the likes of the legendary Kipchoge Keino , former and reigning athletes like Pamela Jelimio, Wlifred Bungei, Eliud Kipchoge, Consenslus Kipruto among others.
Additionally, he expressed government support to the athletes in the County citing the ongoing construction of the two stadia namely in Nandi Hills and Kipchoge Keino stadium in Kapsabet .
On his part Team’s Marketing Manager Joseph Lagat applauded the County government for the establishment of the facilities, adding that the completion of the stadia which especially Kapsabet stadium which has been designed to the International Standards, will promote the sport and enable Kenya host international competition in future.