Patron of 2017 World Under-18 Championships in Athletics, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, on Tuesday made an extensive tour of facilities at Kenyatta University and Kasarani that will host the youth competition in July.
The First Lady was taken on a tour of Kenyatta University where the athletes’ village will be based by acting vice chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina before the championship’s Local Organising Committee CEO Mwangi Muthee took over at Kasarani.
Close to 3,000 athletes and officials will attend the youth competition planned for July 12-16 at Kasarani.
The tour took place as Athletics Kenya prepares to host the national pre-trials Thursday and Friday at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret. The pre-trials will feature athletes from several camps across the country.
Mrs Kenyatta inspected accommodation facilities that includes six hostel blocks christened ‘Nyayo’ and kitchen facilities at Kenyatta University before moving to Kasarani where renovation works are going on at the warm-up track and at the main competition arena. The First Lady expressed satisfaction with the ongoing works, saying that the country will be ready and on time for the youth championship that is the last of its kind among IAAF’s competitions.
Muthee assured the First Lady that renovation works taking place at Kasarani and Kenyatta University are on course and that they will meet the deadline set by the IAAF.
Athletics Kenya Youth Sub-committee chairman, Barnaba Korir, indicated that six athletes will be selected from each event at the pre-trials.
He said the athletes will be put in a camp for specialised training ahead of the National trials set for June 13-14 in Nairobi. The government has already sent funds to every region directly so as to enable them send the teams for the pre-trials.
Every region will be required to send a maximum of 80 athletes and all the entries must be authenticated and signed by either the chairman or secretary of the region. No individual entries will be accepted.
The final entries must be submitted be physically to the AK Youth Sub-committee secretary Barnaba Kitilit before vetting of athletes tomorrow at Kipchoge Stadium.
