Kip Keino Classic test run called off as Nyayo not ready
Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei (second left) with Golazo Sports representatives Owen Malone (left), Cedric Van Brateghem (second right) and Athletics Kenya’s Barnabas Korir during a briefing on the May 2 Nairobi leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on March 3, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Repair of running track to begin Friday as Kenya readies to host Continental Tour
- AK’s technical officials will select athletes to compete late next week.
- Immediately after selection, the athletes will be notified.
The test run for the Kip Keino Classic that had been scheduled for Sunday before being postponed to September 19 has been called off altogether.
Athletics Kenya’s senior vice president, Paul Mutwii, on Thursday disclosed that ongoing renovations at Nyayo National Stadium will not be finished in time for the event to take place.
Athletics Kenya (AK) intended to use the dry run to pick the team that will compete in Kip Keino Classic which is one of the seven gold events in World Athletics Continental Tour on October 3.
Mutwii said the dry run couldn’t have be moved to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani since it is meant to test facilities that will host the real event.
"Repairs on the running track (at Nyayo National Stadium) start tomorrow," Mutwii said.
Mutwii also said that they have whittled down the number of the athletes who will take part in the Kip Keno Classic from a projected 230 to less than 100 owing to the government’s Covid-19 restrictions.
Mutwii said they will use results from last year’s trials for the African Games and World Championships to pick the team for the Kip Keino Classic.
“We shall also consider the results from our track and field meetings last year. Athletes, who finished in the top three from the aforementioned events should get top priority,” said Mutwii.
AK’s technical officials will select athletes to compete late next week.
Immediately after selection, the athletes will be notified. Mutwii advised athletes to continue observing government’s directives on Covid-19 during training.
He said one of the reasons why AK will reduce the number of participants concerns Sports Ministry proposals that require athletes to be tested for Covid-19 before being put in camp for not less than three draws.
“We shall use a minimum of Sh5,000 to test athletes. This is definitely an expensive affair considering that we must host them together for over 72 hours,” said Mutwii.
Being a World Athletics event, Mutwii noted that those who will officiate during Kip Keino Classic must have been certified by the global body through relevant technical training procedures.
“Only the trained and rated officials will be appointed to do the business because only a small number will be cleared for efficiency,” said Mutwii, adding that World Athletics’ regional technical head, Kenya’s Ibrahim Hussein, will advise them on the way forward.
Core events during the Kip Keino Classic are triple jump, hammer throw, 200 metres, and 3,000m steeplechase. The events will feature men and women.
Javelin throw (men only), 400m, 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m fall under the discretionary events.
The 20km race walk, high jump (men only), long jump (women only), 4x400m mixed relay, 400m hurdles and 10,000m (men only) are in the national category.
