This is after the City consented to an exchange program with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) that will see sports personalities from Kenya and France benefit immensely in sport.
To set the ball rolling, Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala was able to get an early look and feel of the facilities he will use for pre-Games training in less than a years’ time.
Omanyala camped in Miramas for some weeks and had a feel of the world-class training facilities at the multi-purpose Stadium Miramas Metropole in the run up to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
The basketball 3 on 3 team, taekwondo and shooting are expected to arrive in the week of September 1 to prepare for the Olympic qualifiers in Miramas while sprinters will come later on in the year.
The Mayor emphasized: “Kenya has one of the best athletics teams in the world. A very nice country with a lot of good and friendly people. Miramas is also the same; so, there is a cordial relationship between Kenya and Miramas.”
He added, “Paul Tergat is also key in this project. Paul is a legend, not only in Kenya but everywhere in the world. The pleasure of meeting the world famous Omanyala was out of this world for residents of Miramas.”
Vigouroux added that Miramas will be offering quality facilities for training and accommodation.
Furthermore, Team Kenya will savor some of the best equipment that Europe has to offer.
“The Stadium in Miramas is one of the best in Europe. Team Kenya athletes will also train in other facilities like the gymnasium and many more,” Vigouroux revealed.
The Mayor also stated that the exchange program is tailor-made to benefit residents of Miramas as well as many other French nationalities.
“There will be a lot of cultural exchange between Kenya and France. The Olympic flame will be in Miramas in May next year, so it will be interesting for the City and this exchange program.”
-Welcome Team Kenya for celebrations after Olympics-
What’s more, Vigouroux remarked that the pleasure of welcoming the athletes who will win medals in the Olympic Games is already creating a lot of buzz in the French media and for the residents of Miramas.
Vigouroux is happy that Kenyan athletes are already putting the City of Miramas on the world map.
“When Omanyala was running at the World Championships in Budapest, the French TV were talking about Miramas every time.”
–Post-Olympics Partnership—
Asked whether the partnership will continue after Olympics, Vigouroux went on to explain:
“The City of Miramas welcomes this big partnership with Kenya. This will definitely be extended past Paris Olympic Games. We are already in negotiations with some officials from Kenya, about 2025 and beyond; where Kenyan teams preparing for future sporting events will benefit.”
“Vigouroux says the program is not cast in stone as even school going children from both countries will benefit. Pupils in Kenya will visit France- and the same for French pupils going to Kenya.”
Nadia Ali, Mirama’s City Councilor in Sports has already visited Kenya twice where she met NOC-K boss Paul Tergat and officials from Athletics Kenya in regards to the pre-Olympics camp.
“Kenyan culture is very welcoming and they are generous. The first time I visited the county, I was indeed stunned to learn about the diverse culture of Kenya.”
Nadia says Miramas is eager to continue this partnership, and combine it with education and other projects.
“There are many projects we can do with Kenya and I am glad that the training camp serves as a catalyst to grow the exchange program.”
Kenya has enjoyed prior sporting ties with France where Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad visited Kenya for high altitude training. Mahiedine is a retired French professional middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competed in the 3000 meters Steeplechase which Kenya has dominated for donkey’s years.
“Through this partnership, the French athletes will also go to Kenya for high altitude training and it will be an exciting project for these young athletes to train and share with Kenyan runners,” Nadia explained.
“Kenyans will experience the best training in Miramas and we wish them well in their quest for medals. Kenyan victory will also be for Miramas because of the good facilities they’ll use and volunteers of the city they’ll interact with.”
Miramas is a hot bed of sports talent in France, producing stars like Sakina Karchaoui, who plays for PSG and the French women’s national football team.
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