Junior team coach Robert Ngisirei wary of Ethiopians ahead of continental showpiece

© Barnaba Korir

ATHLETICS Junior team coach Robert Ngisirei wary of Ethiopians ahead of continental showpiece

Abigael Wafula 08:00 - 26.04.2023

During the previous event held in 2019 in Ivory Coast, Ethiopians floored Kenyans in the women’s U20 1500m, 3000m, and the 4x400m relays.

National junior team head coach Robert Ngisirei is wary of Ethiopians ahead of the Africa U18/20 Championships scheduled for April 29 to May 3 in Ndola, Zambia.

Ngisirei revealed that the youngsters will be renewing their rivalry with their arch rivals and that was his major concern ahead of their clash.

“We shall be meeting with the Ethiopians and I believe they shall also be sending a strong team to Zambia. We hope to perform well and come back home with medals. However, I don’t want to predict anything at the moment,” Ngisirei told Pulse Sports.

During the previous event held in 2019 in Ivory Coast, Ethiopians floored Kenyans in the women’s U20 1500m, 3000m, and the 4x400m relays. In the men’s U20 category, Ethiopians shone in the long and triple jumps.

In the U18 category, Ethiopians shone in the 2000m Steeple Chase and the team will be looking to change the narrative this time around.

The junior team is set to jet out of the country on Thursday, April 27 to Zambia ahead of the continental showpiece. At the moment, they are at a residential training at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani and Ngisirei said their training was on course.

He revealed that the budding athletes have responded well to their training and they are raring to go. The team, consisting of under-18 and under-20 categories, has a mixture of amateurs and experienced athletes.

“Training is going on well and we are at our final stages. The athletes are ready and we are prepared for the competition,” he said.

All eyes will be on world under-20 400m silver medallist Damaris Mutunga and Elkanah Chemelil who were part of the beneficiaries of the training camp in Miramas. East Africa U20 100m champion Isaac Omurwa will also be looking to shine once again.

World junior Cross-country bronze medallist Pamela Kosgei, the younger sister to the women's only world marathon record holder, will also be looking to shine this time around.   

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