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Nyanza South have laid the ground to claim core Team Kenya places in short and middle distances for the World Under-20 Athletics Championships due on July 7 to 12 in Nairobi.
The area is known to have produced some of the country’s the best sprinters from legendary Charles Asati of the famous 1972 Summer Olympics 4x400m gold winning Kenyan quartet to the latter day world beaters Millicent Ndoro and Mary Moraa.
A turnout of a record 96 athletes at the Nyanza South camp at Mogonga PAG Secondary School for early preps for the world junior event is clear indication of hunger for glory in this area.
Meanwhile, the 2007 World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei appealed to Athletics Kenya and the authorities to make the Under-20 camps an annual affair, running during school holidays.
Jepkosgei's camp at Kapchemoiywo Girls' Secondary School, Central Rift, Nandi County registered the second highest attendance with 86 juniors taking part.
Nyanza South camp at Mogonga had the highest numbers of attendees in all the 14 camps.
Africa Under-18 400m silver medallist Linda Kageha, Africa 400m silver medallist Brian Tinega and Africa Youth Olympics 800m champion Francis Leshoo are among the budding stars eying places in Team Kenya from Nyanza South.
Others are National Secondary Schools 400m champion Mercy Oketch and National 400m hurdles Secondary School champion Loice Morara.
Leshoo, who won his 800m race at the Youth Olympics last year, said he was determined to follow in the steps of his role models, Olympic 800m champion and World record holder David Rudisha and Commonwealth 800m champion Wycliffe Kinyamal.
“I am ready to not only make it to the world event but also win a medal. I am slowly gaining the experience to perform at the big stage,” said Leshoo, who hails from Kilgoris.
Leshoo has already secured a full sports scholarship at Cloud Community College in Kansas, United States.
“They have assured me that they will always facilitate me when am needed on national assignment,” said Leshoo, who will major in Sports Management.
