Kenya will be ready to host World Under-20 Championships: Amina

Sports, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed is confident that preparations for next year’s IAAF World Under-20 Championships will be complete by November this year.

Addressing journalists after visiting Athletics Kenya (AK) headquarters,  Mohammed outlined that only small works remain to be done as many facilities are still intact since Kenya hosted the World Under-18 Championships in 2017.

Kenya will be hosting the biennial competition, coming shortly after hosting the IAAF World Under-18 Championship two years ago.

“Most of the renovation works were done in 2017 when we hosted the World 18 event.What was not done then we still have time and resources to finish up before the deadline of November set by the Local Organising Committee,” said Mohammed.

Earlier this year, a high powered delegation from world athletics governing body IAAF, led by executive director of communication Jackie-Brock Doyle landed in the country to carry out an inspection tour on facilities primarily the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

It  then emerged that Kenya may lagging behind schedule as far preparations is concerned, with the delegation set to return at the end of the year for another tour.

The CS who is also the chair of steering committee said they’ve already begun a series of meetings geared towards hosting a successful extravaganza.

AK President Jackson Tuwei who is also the Local Organising Committee (LOC) chair revealed that the tartan track at the athletes’ village to be set at Kenyatta University will be laid to the required standards.

“We already have the track which was to be laid in 2017 and now the glue has also been bought and I hope we will finish everything on time,” said Tuwei.

The biennial event is scheduled for July 7-12.

Kenya hosted a successful global event in 2017 where a record 60,000 spectators thronged the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

On the same breath, Mohammed reiterated that works on the stalled stadia such as Kipchoge Keino and Kamariny in Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties respectively will resume soon.

“We have enough resources for the works thanks to the National Sports Fund and thus the works will continue,” said Mohammed.