School children perform a jig during a ceremony to mark the World Kids Athletics Day held at St Agatha Mokwo Girls Secondary School in Elgeyo Marakwet County on May 07, 2025.
Kenya relied on trained Kids’ Athletics instructors and a natural love for athletics to beat countries from around and claim the inaugural World Athletics Member Federation Kids’ Athletics Day Challenge.
On Friday, Athletics Kenya beat 120 other federations from around the globe to win the inaugural Member Federation award of the Kids’ Athletics Day Challenge after contributing almost a quarter of the participants in the ‘Relay Around the World.”
Around the globe, more than 600,000 children across all six continental areas participated in over 1200 activations to promote Kids’ Athletics Day – a global day dedicated to celebrating children and young people being active by participating in athletics.
This year’s theme ‘Relay Around the World’ was inspired by the World Athletics Relays currently taking place in Guangzhou, China.
The challenge, which ran from April 6 to Kids’ Athletics Day on May 7, was the biggest, most inclusive Kids’ Athletics participation activity yet – with a target of 500,000 kids participating across the world – and was designed to inspire the athletes of tomorrow and get kids everywhere moving.
The final baton was handed to world and Olympic medallist Su Bingtian, the 2025 World Athletics Relay Championships ambassador on Friday in the presence of 100 schoolchildren in Guangzhou.
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Out of 120 member federations of World Athletics, Kenya emerged on top, thanks to 600 coaches, teachers and volunteers from schools and clubs in various counties who organised Kids’ Athletics Day relay events, reaching more than 140,500 children.
The youngsters who turned up for Kids’ Athletics Day relay events in various parts of the country were also inspired by the performances of local athletics stars, many of whom they either watch on television sets at home, or just hear their names being mentioned.
Maryline Lasoi who is a member of AK’s Youth and Development Committee, led Kids’ Athletics Day Challenge activities in Kenya. Her team traversed various regions to ensure children participate in various activities organised by Athletics Kenya on the day, and response from local primary schools was overwhelming.
Athletics Kenya's Youth Development Director, Barnaba Korir, joins learners from various primary schools in marking the World Kids Athletics Day at Hill School Primary in Eldoret on May 17, 2023.
“We reached out to many children to participate in the activities in various parts of the country as a way of introducing them to various athletics events, given that Kenya is known for producing top middle and long distance athletes in the world,” said Lasoi. The activities were aimed at inspiring the youngsters to embrace athletics at a tender age, and to help them decide which athletics event to participate in at the junior level.
“We targeted young kids aged between four and 14, and we realised a large turnout. We also had parents and teachers who took part individually across the country and they uploaded their videos via the link that had been provided by World Athletics,” she added.
Locally, the activities started on April 6 and ran through to May 7. The climax of the celebrations were held at St Agatha Mokwo Girls High School in Elgeyo Marakwet County, and at Unoa Primary School in Makueni County.
Other than school children from Unoa, those from Kibandeni Comprehensive School, Nthangu Primary School, Kisyungii Primary School, Kavutini Primary School, AIC Luani Primary School, Cheirot Primary School and Iuani HGM School participated in activities held in Makueni.
School children drawn from Kitany Primary, Chororget Primary, Sitotwo Primary, Matuken Primary, Toroplongon Primary, Chemobo Primary, St Brigids Primary, Kapng’etik Primary, Chemarkach Primary, Kewani Primary, Kapteren Primary, Kaptargog Primary, Kapkenda Primary, Mokwo Primary, Biwott Primary, Martin Boile Primary, and St Agatha Mokwo Girls High School marked the day in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Coach Boniface Tiren from Elgeyo Marakwet County said the activities will inspire the younger generation to embrace athletics.
“We saw the kids participating in the activities with a lot of joy. Basically we were introducing them to the sport at a tender age and believe you me, we shall have good athletes at the junior level which will also translate to a good performance at the senior level,” Tiren observed.
While declaring Kenya the winner of this year’s challenge on Friday, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “We’re extremely proud we have smashed our target and over 600,000 kids participated in relays across all six continental areas in over 1200 activations.
“Congratulations to Kenya and all the member federations that took part in the challenge but also to every athletics club, school and individual who participated. We couldn’t have done this without you.”
