The State of Athletics in Kenya

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The Kenyanist

Kamau Wairuri

29 episodes

1 week ago

In ‘The Kenyanist’, we step back from the rush of current affairs to take a broader and deeper view of issues that Kenyans fight about. In each episode, Kamau Wairuri speaks to an expert who will help us understand a particular social or political issue better and hopefully propose how we can address some of our most pressing challenges as a society. Disclaimer: The views expressed by the guests on the show are not necessarily those of the host.

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All content for The Kenyanist is the property of Kamau Wairuri and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Social Sciences

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The State of Athletics in Kenya

The Kenyanist

40 minutes 26 seconds

2 years ago

The State of Athletics in Kenya

Kenya is renowned for producing world star athletes such as Eliud Kipchoge, a marathon legend, Faith Kipyegon, a top middle-distance runner, and the promising sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala. These among other athletes have consistently brought honor to Kenya with their stellar performances. Despite their success, the State of Athletics in Kenya is characterized by a paradoxical situation. On the one hand, the country continues to produce superstar athletes who excel on the global stage. On the other hand, Kenya has been struggling at the team level in international competitions. A glaring example of this was seen in the 2022 Olympics, where Kenya managed to win 10 medals and found themselves in the 4th position, behind countries like the United States, Ethiopia, and Jamaica.

One common issue faced by Kenyan athletes is the lack of comprehensive support and investment in their training and development compared to some of the other countries they compete with. There has also been recent challenges, including scandals like the controversy surrounding the Olympics, allegations of fake uniforms being issued to Kenyan teams and doping claims. Such incidents not only tarnish Kenya’s reputation but also hinder the athletes’ morale and their performance.

The lack of adequate support has driven some athletes to opt to run for other countries, especially those in the Gulf region, where they may receive better incentives and resources. This loss of talent is detrimental to Kenya's sports development and international competitiveness.

In light of these challenges, there is a growing recognition of the need to go beyond merely producing individual superstars and to consider broader investments in sports infrastructure, training facilities, and athlete development programs. By addressing these issues and providing better support for athletes, Kenya can aim to not only maintain its position as the home of superstars but also improve its performance at the team level in international competitions.

We speak to Louis Kimanzi, Sports Manager and Researcher based in the UK who has experience in Sports Management in Kenya with a focus on Athletics Management.

Learn more about doping in athletics by visiting the following link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0ej5k_SxUs&ab_channel=UnreportedWorld