The road to the World Championships for September 28 to October 6 kick-off in Doha begins for Kenyan athletes in Nyeri when Ruring’u Stadium hosts the first Athletics Kenya Track and Field Meeting starting Friday.
It will be the first time Ruring’u Stadium is hosting a national competition in many years, with athletes programmed to compete in all track and field events with the exception of pole vault, high jump and hammer throw.
Athletics Kenya Central Region chairman David Miano disclosed Tuesday that even though construction work on the arena had stalled, the track has been cleared to host the two-day championship.
“The track is still intact and we are doing whatever we can to clear it and mark it for the championships,” said Miano, adding that they have invited Nyeri County Governor Mutahi Kahiga as the chief guest.
Kahiga is the former AK Central Region secretary general.
“If this event is what will make work resume at Rirung’u Stadium, then so be it,” explained Miano, who expects a huge turnout for the event that opens the AK Track and Field calendar that has three events.
From Nyeri, the athletes will head to Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega from May 24-25, and then head to Narok Stadium on June 7 to 8.
The championships will culminate in the National Championships and the World Athletics Championships and African Games trials.
The dates for the 12th edition of African Games planned for Casablanca, Morocco this year have been changed, forcing AK to restructure is calendar of events for the season.
The Africa Games which were slated for October 14-21 will now take place from August 23 to September 3 at the Moroccan capital city.
The National trials for the African Games and World Championships that were to take place during the National Championships due August 15-17 at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani have now been separated.
The African Games trials will now take place from June 20-22 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, hence the fourth AK Track and Field Meeting, which had been scheduled to take place on the same dates in Eldoret, has been cancelled.
The dates for National Championships which will double up as trials for World Athletics Championships still remain August 15-17 at Kasarani.
The residential training for Team Kenya for African Games will start on July 28 at Kasarani and will continue for three weeks before the athletes leave for Morocco.
The camp for the World Championships starts on August 22 before athletes leave on September 25 for Doha