NAIROBI, Kenya, November 19 – World record holder for the men’s 800m, David Rudisha, is dismayed by the environmental degradation in his Maasai homeland, which has affected many athletes stationed there.
Rudisha says a lot has changed from his time when he used to train in a clean environment devoid of pollution and deforestation.
“Frequent droughts have devastated our community. As a child, I trained in forested areas that are now disappearing. Without action, future generations may lose the chance to achieve what I did,” the two-time Olympic champion said.
Rudisha exhorted sports stakeholders to take the forefront in efforts to restore forest covers in Kenya and across the world, noting that they stand to benefit the most from these endeavours.
“For long-distance runners, forested areas are essential. Restoring these environments ensures athletes can train in optimal conditions,” he pointed out.
He further urged for the development of more open spaces, ranches and parks in urban areas, dedicated to providing conducive environment for athletes to train.
“We need greenbelts in cities which can provide athletes with the opportunity to train in areas that are less polluted. To clock the best times, the conditions must be ideal. With climate change, that’s becoming increasingly rare,” Rudisha said.
The two-time world 800m champion was speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Accompanying him is Athletics Kenya (AK) president Lt Gen (Rtd) Jack Tuwei who has been vocal and active in installation of air quality sensors in sports facilities in Kenya and across Africa.
Rudisha praised the federation for its proactive efforts to raise awareness on sustainable practices among and beyond the athletics fraternity in Kenya.
“AK is working with stakeholders to tackle climate change. Other federations must join quickly and take swift action,” he said.
