Mary Wacera Ngugi, a former world half marathon silver medalist, celebrated the first anniversary of the Nala Track Club as it turned one year old on Tuesday, May 7th. Ngugi conceived the Nyahururu-based girls-only running camp, named after the African term for a powerful woman, or a lioness. The camp focuses on nurturing 14–22-year-old girls, honing their 1500m and 800m speed while fostering a supportive, safe environment for the nation’s next generation of female athletes.##NAJAVA_MECA_8088428##Motivated by the tragic death of her former teammate Agnes Tirop in 2021, Ngugi founded the club to shield young female athletes from external hardships. Tirop, the world record holder in the women’s-only 10,000 meters on the road, was fatally stabbed in her home in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.Reflecting on the club’s inception, Ngugi said: “I set up Nala Track Club a year ago in response to years of seeing and hearing what so many female athletes have been going through. We wanted to create a safe space for talented girls to grow, learn, express themselves, and be empowered to know that in the future they can say no and be the drivers of their own destiny.”I really wanted Nala Track Club to stand for female empowerment on all fronts, so it’s really making me proud seeing these photos of us female coaches – shot by our resident female student photographer 💕 pic.twitter.com/tExpOqNJ8y— Mary Ngugi-Cooper (@maryngugicooper) September 1, 2023 A year into its establishment, Ngugi expressed satisfaction with the club’s progress, anticipating even greater achievements ahead. “One year in, and I am so proud of the woman they are becoming, on and off the track, and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings for them,” she affirmed.Josephine Chepkoech provisionally suspended for testosterone useNgugi’s hope is that Nala will inspire the creation of more training camps for girls, fostering safer conditions and increasing female participation in athletics, not only as champion runners but also as coaches and agents. “With our female coaches, female physiotherapists, and female content creators, we are showing them on a daily basis that the traditional roles of a woman have changed and they can be whatever they dream of becoming,” she emphasized.Among the notable successes from the camp is Mary Ekiru, who clinched victory in the 1500m race during the Kip Keino Classic.A set of 200’s for the girls this morning 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/c5gt3dWHgK— Nala Track Club (@nalatrackclub) January 21, 2023 Furthermore, Ngugi continues to set high standards for the young athletes. The 35-year-old commenced her year triumphantly by winning the Roma-Ostia half-marathon in March. Subsequently, she secured the sixth position at the 2024 Boston Marathon, completing the course in 2:24:24, approximately two minutes behind the winner, Hellen Obiri.Rising star Chepng’eno hoping to impress in ISF World Cross Country
