Former world champion nurturing next generation of athletes

Janet Jepkosgei
Former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei.

Former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei is giving back to community through mentoring and guiding budding athletes to be next  stars in athletics.

Jepkosgei better known as 'Eldoret Express' trains young athletes from her county  Nandi and neighboring counties at her training camp.

The former 800m world champion  said instead of giving handouts to people, which will not sustain them for their livelihood its better to train and allow them to compete, win and earn something from their sweat.

Jepkosgei wants athletes to also focus on education and not athletics only in order to develop an all-round person in society.

That is the culture she is trying to inculcate in younger athletes at her Kapchemoiywo Training Camp in  Nandi County.And to actualize this, she is also building a girl's secondary school at her home village.

Jepkosgei-after initiating a community race-discovered  that there is huge talent in society.

Janeth with young athletes during one of the training sessions.

It is through that race which triggered her to start training young athletes from the area who had potential to be great athletes.

They have identify over 15 young athletes whom she is nurturing .Among them is Emmanuel Wanyonyi  who recently won gold in 800m at the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.

Jepkosgei also said athletes need more education on doping and it's dangers at an early stage in order to appreciate sport and the need to compete clean.

“Lets us teach the young ones about doping.I am sure many athletes competed without doping, and if they get someone to tell them about it,I am sure they will we will win the war on doping.” Jepkosgei told CGTN Africa during an interview.

She is targeting junior athletes from different primary and secondary schools not only in the area but also neighbouring counties as well. 

Young athletes mentored by Janeth Jepkosgei

Jepkosgei who won her maiden gold medal at the world championships in 2007 in Osaka, Japan, says she has started a programme dubbed ‘All for Learning’, an academy that is aimed at changing the next generation of athletes.

“At the moment am coaching young athletes, encouraging them to be good people in future,” said Jepkosgei who  announced her entry at the global scene in 2002 when she won gold at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

Jepkosgei ventured into athletics  out of her love  of watching athletes compete in various championships which moved her to start training.

She has mentored many athletes  including former world 800m champion Eunice sum.

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