Machakos first stop as AK XC Series returns

The Athletics Kenya (AK) Cross Country series returns with the first 2018/2019 Series set to be held in Machakos Teachers Training College, Machakos County on Saturday.

One of the major changes in this year’s calendar is the incorporation of the anti-doping awareness in every Series to help fight doping following a number of high profile doping cases which has hit the East African nation.

Speaking ahead of the event, the Kenya’s athletics governing body first Vice-President Paul Mutwii said AK decided to have the awareness in every series to help sensitize athletes as well as the general public against the menace.

“Previous years we were just doing the process in one series randomly but this year we have decided to conduct it in every meet because we think even the community should be aware about this vice,” he averred.

Mutwii who also doubles up as the Southern region athletics chairman revealed that through the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) the process will involve tests after the event.

“ADAK will also conduct tests randomly during the event and solely this is to know whether we have some cases in our athletes,” Mutwii said adding , “it’s all systems go ahead of the event and I ask all the athletes to come out in large numbers to participate,”.

Furthermore, AK has cut down the Series from eight to four to cope with the 2019 busy calendar in athletics.

“Next year we have many events like World Cross Country and World Championship so we decided to reduce the meets because some of the meets falls on the calendar of the world events,” Mutwii revealed.

After Machakos, Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, will stage the second leg on December 1 with Nandi and Kisii penciled to host the third and fourth legs of the Series on December 15 and January 4 respectively.

The final cross country series will pave way for the national trials for the World Cross Country Championships set for February 2 at Eldoret Sports Club.

Eldoret’s event that will double up for the National Cross Country Championships will see a team being picked for World Cross Country Championships set for March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Tags:

AK machakos county cross country

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories