Return of races at Afraha Stadium bodes well for talent development

The fourth round of the Athletics Kenya Track and Field series planned for Nakuru on Friday and Saturday not only brings good memories for athletics fans and runners in the region, but will also provide a perfect opportunity for local coaches to have a closer look at runners who have the potential of making the national team that will compete at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, from May 10 and 11.

Coming more than two weeks after the completion of the third round of the series held in Nyeri, the choice of Afraha Stadium as the venue of the competition is welcome news to both fans and runners.

Athletics Kenya Track and Field weekend meetings, which also incorporate relay events, started on February 13 and 14 at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County. Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri County hosted the second round of the series from February 27 to March 1, followed by the third leg of the series at Ulinzi Stadium in Lang’ata, Nairobi, from March 13 to 15.

The fourth leg of the series, which will take place on April 4 and 5 at Afraha Stadium, signals the return of sporting competitions at Afraha Stadium, the premier sporting facility in the South Rift region which covers Kericho, Nakuru, Bomet, and Narok counties.

Afraha Stadium, which was opened in 1948, has been closed for renovation since December 2021, meaning that the mixed-use facility has not hosted a sporting championship in four years.

The good news is that the facility is now ready to host sporting events, and it is looking much better. Previously, athletes used the murram track inside the stadium for training.

Most notably, multiple Olympics and world 1,500 metres champion, Faith Chepng’etich, cut her teeth in athletics at the dusty murram track at Afraha Stadium, the talented runner dominating races in school championships at the stadium.

The stadium used to be the home venue for Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League team Ulinzi Stars before the military team moved to the spanking-new Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.  

Other than a new stand, the new-look Afraha Stadium now features an eight-lane athletics track, a new addition that will encourage more youth from the region to take up athletics.

Seasoned track athletes also now have a new training venue. Previously, such athletes would incur career-threatening injuries while training at the dusty murram track at Afraha Stadium.

Athletes from Nakuru preparing for championships would have to travel long distances to access training facilities, or relocate from Nakuru all the same, and head to areas with good facilities.

The fourth round of the track and field meeting will feature relay races, which bodes well for our athletes hoping to compete internationally.

With ideal competition conditions in Nakuru, the championship offers Athletics Kenya coaches an opportunity to watch some of Kenya’s best relay runners in action, with the 2025 World Relay Championships in mind.

Again, we must not lose sight of the other big event of the year, the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will take place in Tokyo in August.