Tuwei rallies Team Kenya to keep Tokyo Worlds campaign clean & proud

Athletics Kenya (AK) President Jackson Tuwei has urged the country’s Tokyo World Championships squad to uphold integrity and compete clean, warning against any slip-ups that could tarnish Kenya’s reputation on the global stage.

Speaking during the official opening of Team Kenya’s residential camp at the High Performance Training Centre at Kazi Mingi Farm, in Eldoret, Tuwei reminded the athletes that success built on discipline and hard work is the only legacy worth leaving behind.

“As you train, just do it cleanly and make sure you impress and leave the sport with your head high,” Tuwei said.

With Kenya’s athletic image dented in recent years by doping violations, Tuwei urged the athletes to steer clear of any performance-enhancing drugs before the global show.

 “What’s the need for running and winning medals only to be stripped later? It’s a big shame, and Kenya needs to get out of this. It starts with discipline and hard work,” he added.

Tuwei challenged the squad to maintain focus and discipline in training as they look to extend Kenya’s long-standing dominance on the world stage.

“You’re going to Tokyo to compete, and the facilities here will help you sharpen yourselves. It’s up to you to train and focus on the competition ahead because Kenya has always done well at the global championships.”

Kenya’s record at the World Athletics Championships is a testament to its status as an athletics powerhouse.

The East African powerhouse has amassed an impressive 171 medals (65 gold, 58 silver, and 48 bronze) to sit second on the all-time medal standings, only behind the USA’s towering haul of 443.

Kenya’s love affair with the World Athletics Championships began in Helsinki, Finland, in 1983, a modest debut that saw a 21-strong contingent (20 men and one woman) compete across 11 events, albeit without tasting podium success.

The country’s finest hour came at the Beijing 2015 Championships, where a record 16 medals (seven gold, six silver, three bronze) saw the country top the world. Jamaica placed second (12 medals) with the USA third (18 medals).

At the most recent edition in Budapest 2023, Kenya bagged 10 medals (three gold, three silver and four bronze), finishing fifth overall and once again flying the African flag highest on the global stage.

The Tokyo-bound team received a major boost from a partnership between AK and KCB Bank, aimed at smoothing preparations and empowering athletes off the track.

KCB director of retail banking, Jane Isiaho, praised the athletes for making the cut and said the partnership was part of a long-term plan to support Kenyan athletics.

“The reason we decided to partner with the federation is to assist and support athletes in their sporting engagement,” she said.

"We have to offer support on investments through what the athletes earn, and that’s why we are here to offer financial literacy to the team,” she added.