National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) President Paul Tergat has asked Kenyan athletes to stay dehydrated to mitigate the hot conditions in Accra, Ghana.
They should also avoid walking in the sun.
“The weather here is at the red zone —around 35-36 degrees Celcius. Please operate under the shade and avoid walking in direct sun,” he advised.
“I have competed in this kind of conditions and know what to do,” he said.
Tergat visited the athletes at the Games camp at Accra University, accompanied by the Chef de mission David Ngugi, Kenya National Sports Council (KNSC) chairman Nderitu Gikaria, KNSC secretary James Akama and Sports Registrar Rose Wasike.
Tergat said the African Games is the first step to stardom and the athletes should take the event seriously. The only way to feature at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games is by succeeding at the African Games.
“African Games elevates you to another level and that is why they are important,” he noted.
He warned them against putting too much pressure on themselves and focus on their assignments.
Ngugi said the African Games offer a scouting platform for agents and managers.
“Your agent could be waiting somewhere around the corner,” he noted.
Gikaria said legendary Kipchoge Keino (track) and Julius Yego (field) all started at the Games.
Kipchoge started at the 1965 African Games and then won titles on all levels including the Olympics. Yego started at the 2011 edition in Mozambique and became the world javelin champion in 2015 in Beijing and won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Moi Stadium, Kasarani, Nyayo Stadium and City Park Hockey Stadium were built because of these Games.
“There are so many legacy projects to be associated with the games back home and that says a lot about their importance,” said Gikaria.
