New dates for World U20 Championships to be released next month

New dates for the postponed World Under-20 Championships will be known next month.

The global event was earlier scheduled to be held on July 7-12 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani before it was postponed due to Covid-19 disruptions.

According to Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jackson Tuwei, the biannual event is likely to be held in 2021.

“We have been engaging with World Athletics and by the end of next month (July) we will have new dates set. Initially they were proposing for the event to be held in 2022 but we have pleaded with them for it to be held next year and we are hoping it will be held next year,” said Tuwei who doubles as the event’s Local Organising Committee chairman.

Tuwei was speaking on Thursday when he presided over the handing over of food donations to upcoming athletes in the Nairobi region to cushion them on the effects of coronavirus.

Some 40 athletes from the region who were part of the World Under 20 training programme received foodstuffs from AK worth Sh3,000 and a cash stipend of an equal amount.

The camp is one of the 20 set up across the country that was geared towards preparing prospective athletes for the global event that was slated for July 7-12 in Nairobi before it was postponed due to coronavirus.

In the event held at Nyayo National Stadium, Tuwei revealed that the junior athletes are the most vulnerable and need a lot of support during this period.

Tuwei said the Ministry of Sports gave them the green light to channel the amount that had been set aside to cater for the athletes during the April holiday camp to the athletes.

“Since we could not have the April camp programme the ministry allowed us to channel the money to the athletes. We wanted to make sure that they get food so that they can continue training individually. Most of these athletes come from humble backgrounds where even getting food is not easy,” said Tuwei.

Through the Youth Sub Committee led by Barnaba Korir, AK has traversed the country covering 18 camps handing donations to athletes with only two camps in Coast and North Eastern regions remaining.