By KPC Sports Reporter
Athletics Kenya has awarded World Athletics Level One certificates to 27 coaches following the successful completion of an intensive coaching course aimed at strengthening grassroots athletics and securing the future of Kenya’s track and field success.
The coaches were honoured during a graduation ceremony at Gem Garden in Nairobi attended by senior athletics officials, elite athletes, development partners and diplomats, underscoring growing international support for athletics development in the country.
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Among those present were Athletics Kenya President Lt Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei, Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya Gideon Behar, representatives of Co-operative Bank and Aberdare Sports Club Director Georgine Munene.
Speaking at the event, Tuwei described the graduation as a major milestone in the development of Kenyan athletics.
“Today’s gathering is more than just a certificate award ceremony. It is a celebration of capacity building, international cooperation and the future of athletics,” said Tuwei.
The Athletics Kenya boss emphasised that coaches remain central to sustaining Kenya’s reputation as a global athletics powerhouse.
“This is the kind of grassroots impact that sustains Kenya’s dominance in athletics. Coaches are the foundation upon which future champions are built,” he said.
Tuwei challenged the newly certified coaches to uphold professionalism and integrity, noting that their role goes beyond training athletes.
“You need to transform young lives, build champions and uphold the values of integrity, professionalism and service,” he told the graduates.
He also revealed that Athletics Kenya has begun registering coaches, technical officials and athlete support personnel as part of efforts to strengthen integrity and athlete protection across the sport.
The federation’s initiative comes at a time when Kenya continues to prioritise athlete welfare and clean sport while investing heavily in talent development at the grassroots level.
Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya, Gideon Behar, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting youth empowerment and sports development through international partnerships.
“Our partnership with Kenya extends beyond sport. We remain committed to supporting youth development, international training programmes and climate action because sport has the power to unite communities and create lasting impact,” said Behar.
Aberdare Sports Club Director Georgine Munene urged coaches to embrace sports science and modern coaching methods, saying continuous education is essential if Kenya is to remain competitive on the global stage.
The graduates received internationally recognised coaching qualifications covering athlete development, coaching methodology and athlete welfare, marking the first step in the World Athletics coaching education pathway.
