Siaya skating club has received a Sh 500,000 sponsorship after winning the Tujiamini award organised by the Sportpesa Foundation.
According to Sportpesa foundation's official, Debra Chepkirui Maina, the sponsorship will enable the Bondo based club acquire new training gears and other inputs to develop the sport in the area.
Speaking during the handing over of the sponsorship package at the club's training venue in Bondo town, Chepkirui hailed the club for nurturing young talents in the rural area.
'One thing that stands out is that the club is nurturing talent at very young age, talents that will in future raise the Kenyan flag high in international competitions' she said adding, 'we recognise that we have many community sporting clubs in the country, growing and nurturing talents in diverse sporting disciplines and who don't often get a chance in the limelight. Our objective is therefore to encourage and reward such clubs not to give up but continue impacting lives positively through sports.'
The club director, Dorcas Awuor hailed Sportpesa for the sponsorship, adding that since its inception in 2021, the club members have been forced to improvise whenever participating in events.
She said that skating equipment was too expensive for the ordinary sportsman, giving an example of the cheapest skate shoe which, she added, retails at an average of Sh50,000/- a pair.
'What we are currently using are imitations that most of the children cannot afford' said Awuor adding that with the sponsorship, the club will acquire a few quality pairs and skating suits to enable it compete effectively in national and international competitions.
The director said they are determined to demystify the myth that skating was a high-end, urban sport, adding that for the last four years, local children have proved that they can do better.
'We are currently in position two nationally' she said adding that Siaya skating club was poised to participate in the forthcoming East Africa games scheduled for Arusha, Tanzania later this year.
Source: Kenya News Agency