NOCK to intensify preps for Youth Olympics Games

The National Olympic Committee Kenya (NOCK) is looking to start early preparations for the 2022 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar where Senegal will become the first African country to host any Olympic event.

According to NOCK, the aim is not only to take athletes to the Youth Games but it is anticipated that the process of preparing for the Games will benefit many young people through the identification and qualification activities.

The YOG is a youth version of the Olympic Games, offering the core summer sports, with variations in the disciplines such as 3×3 basketball, mixed nationalities relays and mixed gender relays among others. The Games also feature more of education and cultural exchanges for athletes between 15 – 18 years old.

“NOC-K is partnering with National Federations to identify areas of collaboration, to identify and develop young talent in the country, the targeted age group is 12 years to 16-year-olds from all over the country,” said Francis Mutuku, NOCK acting Secretary General in a statement.

Adding, “This is a great challenge to NOC-K and to Federations, but also a great eye opener that professional athletes are nurtured from a very young age. We expect that this will activate age grade athlete development in all Federations, especially the ones without these structures”.

The build up to the YOG will also be part of preparations and participation in Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago 2021, ANOCA Zone V Games in Egypt 2021 and African Youth Games in Lesotho 2022. Some of these Games will also act as qualification events;

“The National Olympic Committee through the support of the Olympic Solidarity Program shall give scholarships to the top athletes and teams to start immediate preparations,” Mutuku said.

NOCK Youth Commission will be spearheading this program and it is hope that it will create a new dawn of development of new avenues for success and medals increase in International Games.

NOCK however welcomes all interested parties to partner with them, to identify and nurture the vast talent that Kenyan Youth have to offer.

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Youth Olympic Games

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