Kenya’s national youth athletics teams reigned supreme, dominating the East African Regional (EAAR) Championships in Zanzibar, Tanzania, where they floored four other nations to bag a staggering 12 gold medals.
A single Kenyan athlete also clinched three gold awards, underlining the country’s growing dominance at the youth level. The combined national men’s and women’s Under-18 and Under-20 teams, who jetted back on Sunday morning, April 27, emerged overall winners after edging out competition from four countries during the two-day EAAR Championships held at Zanzibar’s Amani Stadium from Friday, April 25 to Saturday, April 26.
During the event, which featured hosts Tanzania, Eritrea, Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya, the national youth teams scooped 12 gold, four silver and five bronze medals, topping the regional athletics table with a total of 21 medals to be crowned overall champions.
Speaking to People Sports, Kenya’s national U-18 and U-20 team leader of delegation cum Team Manager Joseph Ilovi attributed the country’s outstanding performance to the strong youth athletics foundation established by Athletics Kenya (AK).
“The Kenya government, through AK, has funded the establishment of 56 youth training camps across various counties such as South Rift, North Rift, Central Rift, the Kaptama camp in Mt. Elgon, three camps in Kisii, and others in far-flung areas like Garissa and Isiolo, where significant talent nurturing and development is taking place,” Ilovi explained.
He added: “During school holidays in April, August, and December, these youth athletes are kept busy training at the government-funded AK camps. When schools reopen, they continue with training as part of their co-curricular activities. That is why our youth athletes performed better overall at the EAAR Championships in Zanzibar.”
Ilovi further noted that the athletes who earned honours for Kenya were selected during the recent Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national games held at Shanzu Teachers Training College (STTC) in Mombasa.
“After selection by AK at the end of the national KSSSA games, the athletes were put through rigorous preparation for two weeks before departing for Zanzibar for the EAAR Championships,” Ilovi said.
During the championships, Kenya’s Under-20 athlete David Kapaiko registered an outstanding performance, winning three gold medals in the men’s Under-18 category races—1,500m, 5,000m, and as a member of the 4x400m relay team alongside Daniel Wasike, Antony Lemoshira, and Nashon Kiech, who clocked 3:23.19.
