U.S. universities target Kenyan athletes with lucrative offers
U.S. universities target Kenyan athletes with lucrative offers
Most colleges in the United States have turned to Kenya to tap into athletic talent, offering lucrative deals that include the chance to pursue education in the U.S. while also competing professionally and representing the country in major championships.
It has now emerged that U.S. athletics coaches have been aggressively targeting and recruiting Kenyan talent, luring athletes to switch allegiance and run under the American flag.
According to the Washington Post, hundreds of American scouts have been trooping in their numbers at the Rift Valley City of Eldoret, targeting Kenyan athletes, thanks to the low investment and the government’s non-priority in the nation’s number one sporting activity.
The recruiters have taken advantage of the recent policy changes by the President Donald Trump administration, which have appeared to target student visas and scholarship migration to the U.S.
The recruitment wave in East Africa is reshaping college athletics. In the last season, Kenyan women dominated the NCAA cross-country championships by claiming the top three spots.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech brought in 28-year-old Solomon Kipchoge, a Kenyan whose half-marathon time surpassed the American record when he joined as a freshman, the Washington Post reported.
In return, due to the hardships in Kenya, the individuals are offered an opportunity to advance their studies or run professionally in U.S. colleges and later land a chance to run for the Western nation.
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Those qualified have to satisfy the requirements of enrolment in the colleges by having attained certain grades in high school.
As college sports have become more like the pros, where the country has the opportunity to maximise its top medal chances, American colleges have been inspired by their counterparts in football and basketball programmes, which have spent millions on recruiting.
In March last year, at least 14 youths earned scholarships to various universities and colleges in the United States of America through sports. The 14, comprising 11 females and three men, were picked from more than 300 youths who turned up for a town hall athletics time trial at Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret.
The trials offered an opportunity for youth between the ages of 17 and 23 years to attain qualifying times in track and field disciplines. A group of Kenyans who are working in the US has been organising the trials on behalf of the institutions.
However, the U.S. is not the only country tapping into Kenya’s talent. A notable case is that of Stephen Cherono, a Kenyan athlete who was lured with an irresistible offer. He was promised a lifetime monthly stipend of Ksh112,300 to switch allegiance to Qatar. Cherono took the deal, even changing his name to Saif Saeed Shaheen.
Kenya finished second on the medal table at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, closing the nine-day event with 11 medals: seven gold, two silver, and two bronze, just behind the United States, which dominated across multiple disciplines to top the standings.
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