NOCK announce landmark move to support coaches in Road to Paris Olympics
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 20.05.24. | 21:45
The support includes daily allowances to the athletes, their pace setters, and coaches, in addition to enhancing the facilitation of their physiotherapy, medical, gym, and transport
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) in a landmark move announced on Monday that they will be providing financial support to coaches in preparation towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The announcement, which also pledged to extend the gesture to all qualified athletes and those shortlisted by Athletics Kenya as the most probable to achieve qualification for the Olympics, was reached in a meeting between coaches of athletes and the NOC-K Technical and Executive team at Riadha House.
The National Olympic Committee executive led by the Secretary General @FrancisMutuku are currently in a meeting with @athletics_kenya to explore ways of supporting athletes on their path to qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games pic.twitter.com/LJiQddlKU8
— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) May 20, 2024
The meeting was convened to give NOC-K the platform to inform and discuss with the coaches the joint plan of preparation with Athletics Kenya for athletes in the qualification pathway to Paris 2024 in this sprint finish.
A decision to extend support to the athletes' individual coaches was announced to the attendants of the technical meeting, a move that was received positively with several coaches terming it “Groundbreaking.”
“Our athletes are as good and as happy as the coaches handling them, they are the closest people to the athletes, and they are often the unsung heroes,” NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku said. “We identified a gap where focus goes to the athletes while coaches only get recognized after the National team has been named.
“Olympic preparation for athletes does not start after the National trials and that is why we are getting involved even before the trials while also ensuring our support is 360 degrees”.
The support includes daily allowances to the athletes, their pace setters, and coaches, in addition to enhancing the facilitation of their physiotherapy, medical, gym, and transport.
“We have never seen anything like this, the coaches have been struggling despite putting in a lot of work and sacrificing a lot of time, the financial support we are receiving from NOCK is very empowering, it means coaches can now focus on good results,” coach Ruth Bundotich said.
At the same time, AK Vice President Paul Mutwii expressed his pleasure in engaging with Athletics Kenya, a scenario that will see the two organizations promote synergies to support both athlete and coach.
Athletics Kenya will host the Olympic trials in mid-June where all eligible athletes are expected to participate to secure their slots in the Paris Olympics National team.
For the moment, 69 male and female athletes are shortlisted in the following events, 800m, 1500m, 3000m Steeplechase, 5,000m, race walking, and field events.
10,000m athletes will be put on the Olympic Program immediately after their trials while NOC-K has ongoing support for the selected marathon team.
