Taki keen to strike it big at senior ranks in 2020
By Amos Abuga, January 8, 2020
When national 400m champion Alphas Kishoyian was winning the World Junior Championships gold in Barcelona, Spain eight years ago, he did not know that back home, that victory was inspiring another budding athlete.
At that particular moment, a young Kumari Taki was herding his father’s cattle in Olokurto ward, Iltuati village of Narok county while listening to proceedings on radio and wondering if he would ever achieve such a feat.
“I thought if someone from my county can do it in such conditions, why not me. The following morning, I went to camp to train and become like Kishoyian,” Taki Told People Sport.
Three years later, he was a World 1,500m Under-18 champion before claiming the World Under-20 crown a year later.
“When I look back to my journey into athletics, I hold Kishoyian in high esteem. He is my role model,” says the athlete, who trains in Nyahururu.
“I was number three in more than three junior trials mostly in 2013 and 2014 but I somehow missed out on the national team.
My dad was not impressed and said; ‘Just go to college and take a teaching course,’ ” says Taki.
That was before winning the 5km Geothermol road race competition where he received Sh5,000 after naively running on tarmac in spikes.
“When I went back home that evening, I started winning souls. There was now belief that I can make a living from sports,” recalls the former Njoro High School student.
Taki has since graduated into the senior ranks, constantly making team Kenya to various championships and 2020 being an Olympics year, Tokyo is not far off his mind.
“My season will start in Dusseldorf, Germany on February 4. Good preparations meant I was in top form last year, I am hoping to reciprocate the same,” said Taki, who intends to run at the World Indoor Games and Diamond Leagues as he tunes up for the Olympics.