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C. WanjaWU20 Championship: Kisii-based trio among those polishing up at Kiberesi Camp
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Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 20.04.22. | 17:25
Mokaya will be looking to atone for her error in the last edition
Valentine Mokaya thought she had won and started early celebrations only to fall down at the 400m hurdles women’s final of the World Under 20 Athletics Championships held at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani 2021.
Mokaya learnt her lesson and hopes to erase the disappointment at the forthcoming World Under 20 Championships in Cali, Colombia set for 1-6 August 2022.
“I was excited that I was going to win gold. The excitement overwhelmed me and I started celebrating before crossing the finish line. I lost focus, fell and missed out on the podium,” said Mokaya.
The 18-year-old trains at Kiberesi Athletics Training Camp in Kisii County, which is hosting 30 girls and 15 boys.
A few kilometres from Kiberesi, Sarah Moraa Orobi is mastering courage from the blocks in the 400m event.
Orobi who was the race favourite during last year’s trials for the World Under 20 had three false starts and was eventually given a red card.
“When I had the first false start I lost my composure and started panicking, missing out on Team Kenya. I felt disappointed but I am determined and working on blocks and take off,” said Orobi.
Coach Philip Mosima, a retired athlete, expressed his confidence in his team of 30 girls and 15 boys in the camp.
"We are working on the build-up for some athletes to lose weight and running style, then later as we approach the Championship we work on speed. Though the camps came in a little bit late we have been able to handle a lot of things. We have sprinters and middle distance athletes in our camp. I have high hopes that our athletes will dominate and pick slots in the categories,” said the former World Under 20 Cross Country champion.
Some of the probables for the international assignment training at the Nyantika Maiyoro Sports Academy, Kisii County include; Sarah Moraa Orobi (400m), Alexina Boera (800m) Augustin Bochachi (Javelin) and Henry Seme.
