Rift Valley sprinters ready to dazzle in Mombasa

They are ready to present the next generation of sprinters at the 2025 edition of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) games.

We are talking about Rift Valley schools, which are nurturing 100m, 200m, and 400m athletes in a region traditionally known for producing middle- and long-distance running stars.

This time, at the national secondary schools Term One games set for Mombasa from April 5-13, these giants will be hoping to sprint to victory as they showcase Kenya’s future sprinting stars.

Inspired by Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest 100m sprinter, secondary school athletes will be making bold statements as they take to the starting blocks in Mombasa.

More importantly, they are training future stars who will soon join the ranks of Omanyala and national 100m hurdles record holder Rukia Nusra, among others.

Yesterday, some of the Rift Valley secondary schools set to compete in the sprints in Mombasa exuded confidence ahead of the highly anticipated contest.

Transcend Academy, the brainchild of former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir, is set to take three sprinters to the national stage: Selpha Ajiambo (100m), Charles Griffins (200m), and Valerian Ombasa (400m hurdles).

Ajiambo was the national runner-up last year before going on to win silver at the East African championships. The Form Two student successfully defended her Rift Valley title in an impressive 12.70 seconds.

Felix Lamai, the Transcend team manager, said the sprinters were well-prepared for the national challenge.

“We didn’t expect Griffins to win the 200m race at the Rift Valley regional games, but he surprised us. He was competing against the boy who had beaten him in the 100m contest at the regionals,” said Lamai.

Kamoi Secondary School from Elgeyo Marakwet also confirmed that its sprinter, Jael Jebet, was preparing for the national games. She will represent Rift Valley in both the 100m and 200m events.