The International Olympic Committee has awarded 11 Kenyan athletes with scholarships amounting to Sh27 million to support their preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K).
Waithaka Kioni, NOC-K's second deputy president, revealed that the funding will cover training and competition costs for athletes across 11 sports disciplines over the next three years. The program includes six female and five male athletes, with beneficiaries spanning boxing, cycling, swimming, and other sports.
Among the recipients are Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Christine Ongare (boxing), triathlete Josette Njeri, and javelin thrower Alex Kiprotich, who previously won a bronze at the 2016 Africa Championships. The scholarship follows a similar initiative in 2020, which supported 11 athletes with Sh16 million ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Kioni emphasized the importance of discipline, stating, "Personal discipline will be paramount since we shall monitor your progress and performance." He noted that the athletes earned the funding through competitive results and urged them to use the resources effectively to elevate their performance.
Priscilla Wangui, a shooter representing the Kenya Police Service, described the scholarship as a "turning point" for her career, enabling access to advanced training equipment and international camps. Similarly, Kiprotich highlighted the opportunity to train in Finland, a long-standing goal for his javelin program.
