AK releases criteria for Worlds, Commonwealth trials
Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei (second left), Treasurer David Miano (left) and Chief Administrative Officer Susan Kamau (centre) receive a sponsorship cheque of Sh3 million from Lotto Chief Executive Officer Dr Joan Mwaura at Riadha House on June 22, 2022 to support the World Championships and Commonwealth Games trials.
What you need to know:
- Tuwei noted that there are special cases where World Athletics grant wild cards to Kenyans who have not met the qualifying standards, but are well placed in the world rankings.
- “World Athletics will issue wild cards to fill in events that don't meet the required threshold by closure of the qualifying date on June 26,” said Tuwei, who hopes that several Kenyan athletes will benefit.
The first two athletes to cross the finish line during Athletics Kenya (AK) trials starting Friday in Nairobi will either qualify for the World Athletics Championships or Commonwealth Games.
A total of 175 athletes will be battling for places in the two events during the two-day event at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
AK President Jack Tuwei explained that a panel of selectors will decide the third athlete to qualify for World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.
World Athletics Championships will take place from July 15 to 24 in Oregon, United States, while the Commonwealth Games will be held July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England.
Tuwei said that they would like to take one team to the two events, hence the athletes will have to make a commitment to double up at the events prior to the trials.
“Athletes competing for places in the two events will wear different running numbers for easy identification,” said Tuwei, adding that they will send the selected team to World Athletics for final approval.
With Kenya being in the category of “A” of countries that have doping prevalence, athletes hoping to participate at the World Athletics Championships must go through three out-of-competition tests 10 months before the event. One of the tests must be blood.
Tuwei, who was accompanied by AK director for competition and technical, Paul Mutwii, was addressing the media at Riadha House on Wednesday when he received sponsorship cheques amounting to Sh15 million from Absa Bank Kenya and Lotto Foundation towards the trials.
Absa Bank Kenya Acting Marketing and Corporate Relations Director, Moses Muthui, handed over a cheque of Sh12m towards the two events, while Lotto Foundation chief executive officer, Joan Mwaura, gave a cheque of Sh3m for the Commonwealth Games trials.
While hailing the two companies for their good gesture, Tuwei noted that all the invited athletes for World Athletics Championships trials have met Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) anti-doping requirements and World Athletics qualifying standards.
Tuwei noted that there are special cases where World Athletics grant wild cards to Kenyans who have not met the qualifying standards, but are well placed in the world rankings.
“World Athletics will issue wild cards to fill in events that don't meet the required threshold by closure of the qualifying date on June 26,” said Tuwei, who hopes that several Kenyan athletes will benefit.
