Tuwei urges athletes to plan career progression as team returns from Morocco

Athletics Kenya (AK) President Jackson Tuwei has urged athletes to consider gradual transition from track to road races, to avoid ‘premature deaths’ in their careers.

Speaking last  evening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where he  received some of athletes from Morocco who competed in the African Games, Tuwei called for well planned transition from track and to the roads.

Tuwei lauded the athletes who took part in African Games especially the junior athletes who bagged medals in Rabat.

“I am very happy with the junior athletes who did very well in Rabat.  Our major goal in AK is to foster growth in the sport and that is only possible through exposure,” noted Tuwei.

The athletics team garnered a total of 20 medals while the boxing team, which also returned last night, recorded a massive improvement from the 2015 Games bagging five medals including one silver and four bronze.

Overall, Kenya ranked seventh at the Games with a total of 31 medals: 11 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze an improvement on the seven golds Kenya bagged in 2015 Games held in Brazzaville, Vingi.

Also at hand to receive the teams at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Ambassador Kirimi Kaberia and the Boxing Association of Kenya President Anthony Ombok, among other sports stakeholders.

Kaberia promised the sportsmen they will receive their allowances in time unlike in the past where athletes would wait for long to receive their dues.

“Already we have paid out some of the athletes and they will continue receiving their allowances in due course. We will also give out contacts to these athletes so that they can report any difficulties they may encounter,” said Kaberia.

He also added that teams will be receiving their allowances before they depart for major competitions.

“Going forward, teams going international assignments will receive their allowances two weeks before they depart and we are going to start with the upcoming World Championships in Doha,” he noted.