By Robert Kibet
KAPSISIYWA, Nandi County, Aug. 22, 2025: The spirit of nurturing future champions was alive in Nandi County as junior athletes at the Kapsisiywa Under-20 Holiday Athletics Camp received both training shoes and branded training t-shirts to support their development.
The initiative was spearheaded by the Athletics Kenya (AK) Youth Department, led by Elizabeth Keitany and Dominic Ondieki, and fulfilled a promise made by AK Youth Committee chairman Barnaba Korir during his recent impromptu visit.
The Kapsisiywa holiday camp is one of the more than 55 under-20 camps spread across the country, providing structured training and mentorship during school breaks. These camps are proving to be a critical pipeline in producing Kenya’s next generation of track and field stars, offering young athletes an environment to hone their talent while staying grounded in discipline and education.
The distribution of both shoes and t-shirts marked a significant milestone in Kenya’s efforts to nurture young talent. For many of the juniors, drawn from humble backgrounds, access to proper training kits is often a challenge. The gesture, therefore, went beyond equipment — it was a source of recognition, motivation, and encouragement to aim higher.
A week before the distribution, Eliud Kipchoge, Kapsisiywa’s most celebrated son, had also paid a visit to the camp. The world marathon record holder took time to address the juniors, emphasizing the importance of hard work, consistency, and patience. His presence in the very village where his own journey began served as a powerful reminder that champions are made through dedication and resilience.
It is in this very village that distance running icons have deep roots. Renowned coach Patrick Sang, who guided Kipchoge to global success, hails from Kapsisiywa, as does Kennedy Tanui, AK Competition Director, Assistant Team Manager to the Tokyo-bound Team Kenya, and the camp’s coordinator.
The camp itself is coached by Daniel Bor, sibling to former three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel and Boston Marathon champion Cyprian Kotut — further proving that Kapsisiywa is no ordinary village, but a cradle of Kenya’s running greatness.
Speaking during the event, Tanui praised the support, saying: “This camp, with the support it has received — from the recent visit by Barnaba Korir, the AK Youth Development Director and NOCK-Kenya First Deputy President who was born and raised in the same village, as well as another visit by Eliud Kipchoge, also from here — serves as a motivation. Kenya should watch, as juniors will be churned from this region as a powerhouse.”
With Kapsisiywa’s rich legacy and renewed investment in the next generation, the young runners are now better equipped, quite literally, to follow in the footsteps of their mentors. Indeed, the next world champions may well be training on the dirt tracks of this historic village.
