‘Never give up’- Aldrine Kibet urges footballers as he takes talent to Barcelona
By Collins Amanga, September 13, 2023
The name of Aldrine Kibet is now familiar among local football enthusiasts in the country having catapulted his school, St Anthony’s Kitale, to a sixth National School Games title in Kakamega County.
Even though Kibet has lately been the talk of town in football circles, he reveals that he only got the opportunity to showcase his football skills after joining secondary school.
It is a powerful tale of a young man who never gave up in his quest for football stardom despite a lack of a support system at the junior levels.
Kibet, who was crowned last week as Kenya’s Sports Personality of the Month for August by the Sports Journalists Association (SJAK) in partnership with LG, says his previous primary schools did not give much attention to sports and therefore it was difficult for him to show his uttermost potential or grow his skills at the level.
“In primary School, I did not play that much because our school did not support sports. My talent just came to light up while in high school.
I was at Poror Primary School in Baringo and later transferred to Mama Ngina Primary in Nakuru, and while there (Nakuru) I used to feature for my club (NYSA Academy) because the school did not support sports as much. We did not even participate in the Primary School Games,” he shared.
The 17-year-old wonder boy from the little-known Poror village in Baringo County now says that his story should inspire other young stars never to give up as they endeavour to realize their dreams in and out of sports regardless of the challenges.
The dazzling midfielder, nicknamed “Messi” by his peers due to his football trickery skills is heading to Barcelona, a city where his idol, Lionel Messi, horned his skills to a global sporting icon.
The young maestro is set to join Nastic Sports Academy located in the town of Tarragona in the region of Catalonia, where he will be studying as well as developing his football talent to greater heights professionally.
The promising ace has already bid farewell to his home village Poror where hundreds of fans gathered in a song and dance ceremony to wish him well abroad, in Spain.