Why Athletics Kenya remains vital to NOC-K's success

Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon (centre), Nicholas Kimeli (left) and 2024 Paris Olympics Team Kenya Deputy Chef de Mission Barnaba Korir. [File, Standard] Athletics Kenya (AK) is a model federation for other sports bodies in Kenya to emulate how it manages the sport and puts the country on the world map. AK has distinguished itself from other federations in the country for its sound management and keenness on athletes' affairs and dedication to bettering their lives beyond the track and field. Athletics has brought glory to the country by bringing a lion's share of over 95 per cent medals to Kenya since the country first took part in the Olympic Games in 1956. Out of the 124 medals Kenya has won at the Olympic stage, athletics has won a total of 117 medals including 38 gold, 43 silver and 36 bronze making National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) the most successful African committee at the Olympics. Boxing is the only other sport to have brought home medals, which comprise one gold, one silver and five bronze. The federation boasts of financial independence where it is housed in a building built on its land, attracts several sponsors, makes a saving of over Sh30 million a year, funds its programs and is the only federation that gives grants to its affiliates annually apart from hosting several world events in the country. Despite being the goose that lays the golden egg, officials from the athletics federation have for many years been consigned to the periphery in the administration of the umbrella Olympic body which currently accommodates sporting federations that take part in the Commonwealth Games. With a few days to NOC-K elections slated for April 24, 2025, candidates have swung into action and are busy campaigning for the vacant positions. NOC-K voters need to vote wisely by bringing on board individuals who are visionary and experienced in their managerial skills based on their performance in their respective sporting federations matching the exploits by the local governing athletics body AK. NOC-K electorate needs to embrace an official from AK for a top position in its echelons of power so that they can be able to tap and take advantage of the federations' expertise in the management and development of the Olympic body in steering Kenya's sports to higher levels. Athletics Kenya has endorsed Barnaba Korir for the first vice president seat alongside legendary Eliud Kipchoge for the athletes' representative position. Korir is an individual with vast experience as an athlete and administrator who has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing global sport and creating opportunities for athletes. He currently serves as NOC-K's executive member as well AK's executive member and chairman of both the Youth Development committee and Nairobi region branch. This character is a result-driven persona who has an athlete centered vision - having been an athlete and transitioned to being a servant of sports that makes him a master in and outside the field of play and championed harnessing of the power of sport to make a difference The individual aims to create a stronger, sustainable, and relevant Olympic Movement by prioritising athletes well-being, engagement, partnerships, sustainability, credibility, mental health and post-career opportunities as well as advancing gender equity, inclusivity, and diversity as part of his agenda. Having schooled at an international University in the United States of America through a sports scholarship, and working for global sporting organisations, will bring to the table his international networks at home to develop and increase visibility for athletes and sports beyond the Games. Through his international connections he has been able to secure education scholarships for several Kenyan athletes to pursue further education and sports careers in international universities in the USA, in a country that he was inducted in the hall of fame of Iowa University in recognition for his contribution in advancing sports and education in the learning institution. Within a very short time, three Kenyan athletics events have taken the annual global sporting calendar by storm. The Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour meeting, Sirikwa Cross Country Championship and The Great Chepsaita Cross Country championships, have fast become must-attend competitions for fans alongside elite and amateur athletes alike, thanks to that official for bringing into the country Golazo an internationals sports event organiser. Golazo currently organises about 1,000 events annually, worldwide, including the three top Kenyan athletics competitions. Some of its marquee events are the Rotterdam Marathon and the "Memorial van Damme" which is Brussels' round of the athletics Diamond League circuit. The man whose marketing strategy and negotiating skills has brought to AK big corporates namely Absa Bank, Dettol, Coca Cola and Betika, just to name a few that have pumped millions which have developed and elevated the standards of the sport whose presence and influence is felt at the global scene. He brings a wealth of organisational experience when served as a director in the Local Organising Committee when Kenya hosted the World under 18 and under 20 athletics championships in Nairobi and currently is the event director of the Kip Keino Classic, Sirikwa World Cross Country tour and The Great Chepsaita cross country, which are ranked as gold label events by World Athletics (WA). The man manages AK's youth programme which has come up with programmes that has ensured there's no shortage of athletics talents and the transitioning of youth to senior levels of the sport. The program has been able to identify and nurture young talents from the grassroots to the international level. As an athletics manager from his stable he has midwifed the emergence of world beaters including the late World marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, 3000m Olympic gold medallist Yavi Mutile of Bahrain, 2008 Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo, the 2018 3000m steeplechase World Under 20 winner Celliphine Chespol, two times World under 20 medalist Faith Cherotich and triple World medallist Milcah Chemos among others. The official has been at the forefront in agitating for clean sport in the war against doping, campaigning for enhanced budgets in the anti-doping crusade, lobbying Parliament to enact stringent measures against the vice and cracking down on age cheats in athletics in ensuring Kenyan athletes participate fairly. With such an asset throwing his hat into the ring, the delegates need to bring onboard someone that will bring knowledge and connections with local companies and international brands that will empower their federations to be self-reliant by generating their own revenue just like Athletics Kenya and also compete competitively at the international arena and bring glory to Kenya. -The writer is an athletics journalist, expert and analyst

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