A squad of 23 refugee athletes has been drafted into the Refugee Athlete Support Program, setting them on a path toward the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The initiative, launched Wednesday by National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President Paul Tergat, aims to refine the talents of these athletes and provide them with a structured high-performance training environment.
Following a fiercely contested selection process during the February 1 trials in Eldoret, 15 junior and 8 senior athletes emerged from a competitive field of 108 hopefuls drawn from Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, Dadaab Refugee Camp, and urban refugee communities across Kenya.
The trials were conducted in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), NOC-K, World Athletics, Athletics Kenya, Kenya Taekwondo Federation, Kenya Judo Federation, and UNHCR.
The selected senior athletes specialising in athletics have reported to the elite Complete Sports Camp in Kaptagat for intensive training, while their judo and taekwondo counterparts will join their respective training hubs.
Among the standout names are track athletes Kun War Liem, Susan Nakiru, Perina Nakang Lokure, Solomon Ayela Okeny, and Aden Hassan Abdifatah.
In combat sports, taekwondo fighter Dorcas Aker and judoka Kevin Ndahabonyimana complete the list. Guiding the athletics team is 2008 Olympic 800m silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei.
During an official welcome at the Kaptagat camp, Tergat, a former two-time Olympic silver medallist, emphasised the discipline and perseverance required to excel on the global stage.
“As an athlete, I know the sacrifices needed to reach the pinnacle of competition. Success is built on commitment, integrity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Let these values define your journey,” he urged.
Among the senior
athletes, Nakang stands out.
Nakang, a former World U20 team
member, has steadily transitioned into
the senior ranks, featuring at the 2023
World Championships in Budapest
among other events.
