The Great Chepsaita Cross Country Run is stepping up efforts to promote access to education through sports, with 7,000 students expected to benefit from scholarship opportunities in the fourth edition of the annual competition.
The initiative seeks to use athletics as a pathway to educational advancement, particularly for gifted learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who may struggle to meet the cost of schooling.
Race patron Farouk Kibet said the competition was founded on the twin objectives of identifying sporting talent and supporting education, urging young athletes to take advantage of the opportunities created by the event to secure a brighter future.
Speaking during the launch of the fourth edition at Chepkemel in Turbo Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County, Kibet emphasised the importance of balancing sporting ambitions with academic pursuits, saying education remained a critical foundation for personal growth and community development.
He challenged parents to identify and nurture their children's abilities early, noting that supporting young people to pursue their talents could open doors to scholarships, employment and international opportunities.
Kibet warns against drug abuse
Kibet also raised concerns over the growing threat of drug and alcohol abuse among young people, warning that substance abuse could derail both academic progress and promising sporting careers.
He questioned how illicit drugs were finding their way into remote communities despite passing through major towns and security checkpoints.
He challenged security agencies to intensify the fight against drug trafficking and called on the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to tighten surveillance of pharmaceutical outlets suspected of selling unauthorised substances to young people and athletes.
The President's aide warned those involved in supplying illicit drugs and alcohol to minors that they would face firm action, saying the country risked losing promising talent if the problem was not addressed.
He urged participants to embrace discipline, avoid performance-enhancing drugs and recognise that sporting success should not come at the expense of their health, education and future.
Kibet said the competition had continued to grow into an important platform for identifying and nurturing emerging athletes, particularly from communities where access to professional sporting opportunities remained limited.
He credited Athletics Kenya for supporting the event, saying the partnership had helped elevate the competition into a major athletics platform attracting participants from different parts of the country and beyond.
The fourth edition is expected to strengthen the link between sports and education, with organisers seeking to ensure that talented learners benefit not only from exposure in athletics but also from opportunities to advance their studies.
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