Nandi County is stepping up preparations for this year's Mashujaa Day celebrations, with hundreds of sportsmen and women set to compete in a series of events across the North Rift. The county, known as the Source of Champions, is taking a fresh approach to strengthen its reputation in athletics, football, and volleyball. Sports coaches in Nandi have been undergoing specialized training to improve talent development and competitiveness.
The five-day training, held at Koitalel Samoei University College, has brought together coaches from sports clubs, schools, and universities across the county. The training, coordinated by the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS), aims to equip local coaches with skills to nurture talent from the grassroots and sustain the county's production of elite athletes. Nandi County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo said the training would help strengthen expertise needed to develop more champions.
The Mashujaa celebrations will go beyond the national ceremony, with sporting activities providing young people with opportunities to showcase their abilities while promoting discipline and healthy competition. Athletes will also receive sensitization on doping, appropriate conduct in sports, and responsible management of finances earned from their sporting careers. The programme will culminate in competitions involving Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The competitions will feature volleyball, football, and athletics, with Nandi hosting the inter-county volleyball finals at Koitalel Samoei University College. The athletics marathon finals will be held in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, on October 19, while the football finals will be staged in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County. Kilonzo urged residents to turn out in large numbers to support the teams representing their counties and participate in the Mashujaa Day celebrations.
Kenya Academy Sports (KAS) is spearheading the coaching programme, targeting grassroots talent development as part of efforts to create a sustainable sports industry. Dr. John Okwemba, KAS Director of Research, said 30 football coaches, 60 volleyball coaches, and 60 athletics coaches were participating in the five-day introductory courses. The training is designed to enable coaches to identify and nurture talent from the grassroots through to the elite level.
Koitalel Samoei University College has welcomed the sporting activities, saying its participation is consistent with its identity as a university specializing in sports science. Prof. Jepkemboi Ruth Choge, the university representative, said the institution is honored to host the training and other activities linked to the Mashujaa celebrations in the three counties. The university hopes the training will leave a lasting impact beyond the Mashujaa celebrations.
With Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet jointly hosting a series of sporting activities ahead of the national celebrations, organizers say the programme will provide a platform for young athletes to compete, discover talent, and build pathways towards professional sport. For Nandi, the events offer another opportunity to demonstrate why the county continues to carry the Source of Champions tag while supporting the broader Mashujaa Day message of celebrating Kenyan achievement and talent.
Key points
- Nandi County is preparing for Mashujaa Day celebrations with specialized training for sports coaches.
- The training aims to strengthen talent development and improve competitiveness in athletics, football, and volleyball.
- The programme will culminate in competitions involving Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
