Breeding champions in hardship: Inside Kuresoi’s Tiloa and Sirikwa Athletics Camps

Deep in the rolling hills of Kuresoi North, two athletics camps are quietly shaping the future of Kenyan running.

The Tiloa and Sirikwa camps, guided by seasoned head coach Christopher Rono, have become vital breeding grounds for young athletes chasing both international competition and academic opportunity.

Speaking at his Sirikwa Athletics Camp, Rono said  the mission goes far beyond producing champions on the track.

“We are not just training runners; we are opening doors,” he says. “Seeing over ten of our athletes secure scholarships to the USA shows that Kuresoi is a hub for global talent.”

The two camps currently host about 120 athletes, with 60 runners at Tiloa and another 60 at Sirikwa, many of them drawn from villages across the South Rift region.

Yet behind the promise of global success lies a difficult reality.

“While the talent is immense, the poverty is a hurdle,” Rono explained. “With 120 athletes across Tiloa and Sirikwa, we need partners to help us keep these dreams alive because most parents simply cannot afford it.”

According to the coach, nearly 90 percent of the athletes come from extremely humble backgrounds, meaning the camps rely heavily on external support to keep the training programs running.

“The biggest challenge we have right now is that when we identify these talents, 90 percent come from very humble backgrounds. The help coming from their families is very minimal, and we are in great need of support from well-wishers,” he adds.

Despite the challenges, the camps have already produced remarkable success stories, particularly through scholarships to the United States collegiate athletics system.

At Tiloa Camp, middle-distance talent has been a strong focus. Evaline Chepkoech, an 800m runner, is currently competing for Arizona State University, where she has already posted impressive times including 2:05.82 in the 800m and 4:40.69 in the mile.

Another athlete, Praise Chepkemoi, secured a scholarship to the University of Arizona, joining the Wildcats’ cross country and track teams after emerging as a regional champion during her time at Tiloa Mixed Secondary School.

Meanwhile, Mercy Chepkemoi, a standout long-distance runner who finished fourth at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships in Lima, represents one of the camp’s most successful transitions from junior competition to international scholarship opportunities.

At Sirikwa Camp, which Rono directly supervises, athletes such as Ronis Chepkemoi (1500m) and Purity Chepkemoi (3000m) have also secured placements in the United States after impressing on the Athletics Kenya junior circuit.

Rono says the secret behind the camps’ success lies in early talent identification and academic preparation, ensuring athletes are ready for both elite competition and university requirements abroad.

“We identify talent early and guide them not only in training but also in academics so they can qualify for international scholarships,” he explains.

Both camps operate under the Athletics Kenya Youth Development and Holiday Camps programme, a grassroots initiative designed to nurture young talent during school breaks while preparing them for junior competitions and future international careers.