Youth Olympics champ Kavesa relishing life in Japan

Youth Olympics champ Kavesa relishing life in Japan

The 2018 Youth Olympics 3,000m champion Jackson Kavesa is relishing his new life in Japan after registering a new personal best in his first race in the Asian country last week, on Wednesday.

The 20-year old promising star who moved to Japan early this year finished fifth in the 5000m at the Fukagawa Kokuren Distance Challenge, clocking 13:22.58 behind compatriots Bernard Kimeli, Jonathan Ndiku, Richard Kimunyan and Anthony Maina who ranked first to fourth respectively.

The athlete said adapting to his new home has not been easy especially with dynamics brought about by the unprecedented spread of coronavirus.

“It has not been easy for me to settle down here in Japan especially during this period of coronavirus but I am happy things have gone well. My colleagues from Kenya have helped me to settle without many problems and here we stay like a family,” Kavesa told Citizen Digital from Japan.

 Kavesa who shaved off 23 seconds from his previous time of 13:45.12 he set during the 2019 African Games trials held in Kasarani promises that his best is yet to come.

“Last week’s race was tough but I managed to lower my personal best against world-beaters like Kimeli and Ndiku. This is an indication of good things ahead and I will continue working hard to achieve what brought me here in Japan,” he said.

The athlete is looking to follow in the footsteps of the many Kenyan athletes who have made developed their careers in Japan including the 2016 World Half Marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki.

Japan announced the phased resumption of sporting activities last month after a forced-stop by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

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JAPAN Jackson Kavesa Youth Olympics

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