Kenya to rely on track and field athletes for medals at Youth Olympics (2)

The government set aside 139 million shillings towards the team preparations and participation in the games, the first of its kind under the IOC banner.

But with most of the money going towards paying of tickets to officials and athletes going for the qualifiers, little has been spent on actual training of the teams.

"I do not understand who most of the qualifiers were taken to Egypt. This shows they had more urgency to qualify their athletes. We must change our tactics," said Soi.

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games were introduced by International Olympic Committee and will be alternating every four years like the senior Olympic Games and will be restricted to athletes aged from 14 to 18 years.

Compared with other events, the youth Games will have a strong emphasis on education instead of competition.

NOC spend Sh2 million to 10 sports disciplines for their preparing eying to fill a small quota of 70 that was given to Kenya.

Keino said, while most of the athletes' entered in the qualifier events did not make the cut; it confirms that the standards have improved and Kenya needs to up its game.

"We also need finances to help secure some of these facilities and take them to the youths at the grassroot. Sport today is taken as a career and we must look at it that way. This means we must be ready to spend just like other countries do by coming up with academies and schools," said Keino.

Source:Xinhua

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