Construction of Keringet Sports Academy starts in three months
Ericson Kiprono
The construction of Keringet Sports Academy Ndabibit in Kuresoi South Sub-county, Nakuru County will commence in three months.
Speaking during the initial site visit alongside county officials, consultants, project manager and members of the community at the weekend, Nakuru County Sports Chief officer William Migwe said the high-altitude training centre, one of Governor Lee Kinyanjui’s flagship projects, will help nurture talents in the area and beyond.
It is also set to offer employment opportunities in associated service such as coaching, physiotherapy, dietary among others once it is completed.
“The county government of Nakuru is working on a tailor-made design that will capture its aspirations and those of athletes,” said Migwe.
The county government allocated Sh50 million towards the construction of the academy which sits on a 20-acre complex.
State-of-the-art
“You will have international athletes camping at the centre as it will be a state-of-the-art high altitude training facility,” Migwe said.
Keringet has produced world beaters including former World Marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui and reigning Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Chepng’etich.
Nakuru county Athletics Kenya secretary David Bii underscored the immense potential the facility has in generating income through sports tourism.
“The high altitude training facility will attract international athletes and scouts who will use it at a fee with a trickle down effect on the local economy expected,” he said.
Given sports tourism generates around Sh61 trillion a year according to the World Travel Market, Migwi said the facility will make athletes appreciate the discipline like any other form of employment.
He urged the Nakuru County Assembly to support sports by pushing for more budgetary allocation.
“We have many talented youth and it is through sports that we can nurture such talents,” Bii said.
Bii, who is also the Keringet Athletics Training camp coordinator, said the camp, based at Keringet Boarding Primary School, is one of the 14 in Kenya set aside for youth who were to participate in the World Under-20 Championship which was slated for July 7-12 at Kasarani Stadium but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
