Renovation of Ruring’u Stadium to be complete by June 2017

The renovation of the dilapidated Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri is expected to be completed by June next year with the area county government also revealing plans to put up a high altitude training centre in either Othaya or Kieni within the same period.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by County Executive of Sports and Special Programmes, Lucy Wanyitu who was speaking on behalf of area Governor Nderitu Gachagua when athletes from the region who excelled at the Rio 2016 Olympics were hosted to breakfast in their honour.

Men 400m Hurdles silver medallist, Boniface Mucheru was joined by other athletes at the fete that fellow Rio 2016 medallist and women 800m bronze winner, Margaret Wambui Nyairera who hails from the county was also honoured despite not making it to the function.

“Ruring’u Stadium will be done in just a few months. I met with Sports Stadia Management Board and Sports Kenya since we are planning to build Ruring’u into an international stadium,” Wanyitu told the gathering.

“It will be done in phases and will have terraces, a running track and a podium and we expect it to be done by June next year,” she added.

The renovation works are under a partnership plan rolled out by the Ministry of Sports that will see the national government set aside Ksh150m with the county administration adding Ksh50m for renovation of selected stadia nationwide.

At another homecoming party hosted in Kieni, the Rio medallists were joined by former world marathon champion, Catherine Ndereba, in pressing the Government to renovate Ruring’u lamenting it was hard for them to train at the derelict facility.

Retired greats; Seoul 1988 Olympic champion, John Ngugi, Tokyo 1987 world marathon champion, Douglas Wakiihuri and 2001 Edmonton 10000m world champion, Charles Kamathi were athletes in attendance.

Athletics Kenya national treasurer and Central Kenya chairman; David Miano called on the County Government to support the athletes from the beginning instead of waiting to celebrate victory.

“As we appreciate your gesture, we want to see this happening because they always ask what have you invested in me? We should be together when we are developing, not only when harvesting,” Miano added.