Directives from World Athletics have forced Athletics Kenya (AK) to move forward the dates for the national trials for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.
The trials that were scheduled for July 18 to 19 at Nyayo National Stadium will now be held three weeks earlier on June 27 to 28 at the same venue.
World Athletics directed that all entries for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships programmed for August 27 to 31 in Lima, Peru, must be made by June 30.
At the same time, AK director of youth and development, Barnaba Korir disclosed that all those hoping to participate at the world event should put in their visa application by July 10.
Korir said that the directives issued on June 14 have now forced them to go back to the national primary and secondary schools’ championships to select athletes, who will compete at the trials.
“It’s only our Central and Western regions that had conducted the trials and that forces us to turn to the schools’ championships for the trials,” said Korir, adding that vetting will be done on June 26.
That also leaves AK with a huge dilemma of what to do since four of the juniors eligible for the world event are currently in Douala, Cameroon for the African Athletics Championships that start on Friday.
They are Edmond Serem and Mathew Kosgei in the 3,000m steeplechase, Sarah Moraa (800m), and Mercy Jepkemoi (5,000m).
AK hopes to select 28 athletes for the world junior event during the trials. So far no sprinters or field event athletes have attained the qualifying standards.
The top two finishers in each category will be selected in the final but must meet the entry qualification standards.
Most of the athletes have qualified in men and women’s 800m, 1,500m, 3,000, 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.
Most athletes that represented Kenya at the 2022 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia have transited including the only gold medallists Reynold Kipkorir (1,500m) and Faith Cherotich (3,000m steeplechase).
