Kenya: Athletics Association to Hold Trials for National Youth Next Week At Nyayo Stadium

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Muigai Kiguru

1 June 2011

Athletics Kenya (AK) will hold the national trials on June 7-8 at Nyayo Stadium to pick the team for the World Youth Championship in Lille, France.

AK vice chairman Jackson Tuwei said the federation will partner with the Kenya Secondary School Association (KSSSA) during the event that has a strict age limit of only 16 and 17 year old athletes. The event will be sponsored by National bank of Kenya. “We shall only pick the two finishers in every event during the trials,” said Tuwei. He said those, who will be selected will be required to report to camp on June 17 until they depart for France on July 2. “We shall also be observing the IAAF recommended qualification standards,” added Tuwei. “Non-schooling athletes who are interested are required to register with us (AK) on Monday at our offices at Riadha House and should bring along their birth certificate and passport. They should also be accompanied by a branch official.”

AK will select a team of about 20 athletes.

The trials will also be used to select a team for the Commonwealth Youth Games set for Island of Man in Britain from September 7-11.

Meanwhile, Dubai Marathon winner David Barmasai is the latest marathon runner to confirm his availability for the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Korea between August 27 and September 4. Others who have confirmed are Benjamin Kiptoo, Wilson Kiprotich and Abel Kirui. “The fifth athlete, who we are in touch with is yet to confirm and we shall communicate to you as soon as he does,” said Okeyo.

Elsewhere, a team of 12 athletes and two officials leave this morning for Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania ahead of the East African athletics Championships.

According to AK secretary general David Okeyo, the athletes will compete in the short and middle distance races not longer than 1,500m. “The rest of the races received no entries from the rest of the five countries taking part, thus leading to their scrapping.”We have been criticised for not fielding sprints and field athletes and believe this is a great opportunity to give exposure to this group,” said Okeyo.

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