President of the National Olympic Committee - Kenya (NOC-K) Paul Tergat shared his experience with the Athlete Refugee Team (ART).
In an interview with the World Athletics on Friday, February 17, Tergat talks of the preparation the team has had during their preparation for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23.
Tergat is currently in Australia as the official ambassador of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23.
Also Read: Ezekiel Kemboi: The Entertainer Who Won It All on the Track
The Athlete Refugee Team moved its base to the Complete Sports Training Centre in Eldoret, in January 2022.
“We have fully embraced them and aim to train them to be a complete athlete. We also treat them like any other athlete – we don’t want them to feel like refugees; we want them to feel like us, like our own.
“Being a refugee is not something that happens by choice, I’m so thankful for all the work done by various governments and organisations to help these athletes fulfil their potential. And more importantly, for World Athletics to allow them to compete in global events, it’s a big plus and gives them hope and dignity," Tergat stated.
He added that the athletes in the camp carry the hopes and dreams of refugees worldwide, adding that they have a chance to create a positive outcome out of their situation.
Tergat pointed out Anjelina Nadai Lohalith's win at the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country in Castellon, Spain.
Her win was the first victory by an ART athlete in an international competition.
The veteran athlete highlighted the gender imbalance at the refugee training camps, noting that men were more than women.
He encouraged more women to join the camps pinpointing the presence of the 2007 world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei, the head coach of the Athlete Refugee Team competing in Bathurst.
Also Read: Gabriele Rosa: Godfather of Kenyan Marathoners Exits After 30 Yrs