AK track and field season starts at Nyayo

The road to World Athletics Championships in Oregon and Birmingham Commonwealth Games due this year starts in earnest at the first Athletics Kenya (AK) Track and Field Weekend Meeting on Friday at the Nyayo National Stadium.

AK senior deputy president in charge of competitions, Paul Mutwii, announced Monday that those athletes hoping to represent Kenya in the two events must participate in their weekend meetings.

The world event will be held from July 14 to 24 in Oregon, United States, while the Birmingham “Club” Games are due July 28 to August 8 in Britain.

Additionally, Mutwii noted that Kenya will also participate in the Africa Senior Athletics Championships due June 8-12 in Reduit, Mauritius.

Mutwii noted that owing to a large turnout expected with an electronic timing system also being in place, the championships will take two days and not one day as had been planned earlier.

“Let athletes know that it will be a two-day event hence they should put in their best effort,” said Mutwii, adding that athletes’ performances will determine whether they will pick separate teams especially for World Championships and the "Club" Games.

“We already have a pool of probables athletes for selection but the three events have varying qualifying times, and more so, talent sprouts every day in Kenya,” said Mutwii.

“We can never lock out anyone so long as they meet the selection criteria. We are aware of the strict doping requirements for the World event and Commonwealth Games," noted Mutwii.

Mutwii explained that it’s only in marathon where they will select separate teams for World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

"The three competitions have qualifying times with the World Athletics Championships having tough qualifying requirements," said Mutwii.

Kenya had a total of 136 participants who included 66 from athletics at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where the country collected 17 medals; four gold, seven silver and six bronze.

Only one medal came outside athletics- the bronze from boxer Christine Onga’re.

The performance saw Kenya finish 14th in the overall medal standings, but fifth in Africa in athletics as Australia topped in both.

Kenya settled second with 11 medals- five gold, two silver and four bronze- during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.

The country topped the medals standings at the 2018 Africa Senior Athletics  Championships held in Asaba, Nigeria with 19 medals; 11 gold, six silver, eight bronze.