Over 2,000 athletes from various sporting disciplines will feature in the inaugural national sports talent camp, launched by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba at the Moi Stadium, Kasarani on Monday.

Namwamba said the pilot program signifies the government’s commitment to identifying and developing talent at the grassroots level.

“Today, 2000 of the best talents from across Kenya start a unique journey of elite training, scouting, and talent progression and monetisation under Talanta Hela, the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports,” Namwamba stated.

“For months, in a deliberate, intentional, and structured process never seen before, we have selected — through the Kenya Academy of Sports — the best talents during the Kenya Secondary Schools ball games.”

Top coaches and legendary sports personalities in the country have been selected to mentor the players, including Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat and his counterpart at Harambee Starlets, Beldine Odemba.

“We have made special arrangements for your accommodation, meals, and movement throughout your stay at the academy,” Namwamba told the cohort.

Among those scouted to benefit from the camp are three players from St. Anthony’s Boys High School Kitale who stormed the national football title in Kakamega county over the weekend.

Headlining the list is St. Anthony’s mercurial attacking midfielder Aldrine Kibet, who bagged the MVP and Golden Boot awards at the just-concluded secondary school games.

Kibet, who hails from Poror, a tiny village in Eldama Ravine, Baringo county, stole the limelight after netting 25 goals in St. Anthony’s title-winning campaign.

“We are happy to announce that Kibet has received a scholarship to join Nastic Sports Academy in Spain, which scouted him,” Namwamba revealed.

The diminutive midfield maestro will be joined in Spain by teammate Amos Wanjala, who stood tall in central defence. 

The CS called on teachers to recognise learners who demonstrate outstanding potential in sports in line with the objectives of the newly-introduced Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) education system.

“Students who excel in sports should be treated with the same respect as those who do well in mathematics, physics, and chemistry,” Namwamba said.

He urged school heads to embrace a new approach to reward teachers who devote their careers to nurturing budding talent.

“You should seek to promote sports coaches in the same way that you promote teachers who excel in their subjects at national examinations,” the CS said.

Namwamba said the camp will be coordinated by the KAS in partnership with the Ministry of Education and other key stakeholders. KAS is a State Corporation under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports mandated to pursue excellence in elite sports performance through an array of strategic endeavours.

Under Section 34, KAS is entrusted with several pivotal functions, including establishing and managing sports training academies.