Tuwei sets priorities as new World Athletics Vice President

Newly-elected World Athletics Vice President Jackson Tuwei says Africa has a mountain to climb to keep up with the rest of the athletics world, saying among the priorities in his tenure will be to strengthen the African Athletics Championships.

But Tuwei noted that as one of the four Vice Presidents of the global track and field body, his scope is global and he will principally focus on making sure World Athletics programmes worldwide are successful.

"It's a huge honour to have been elected Vice President at World Athletics, especially not having been in the World Athletics Council before," Tuwei said at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival from Budapest on Tuesday morning.

"Of course we have to seriously look at issue like strengthening the African Championships (in Athletics), because unlike other area championships, like the European Championships for instance, the African Championships don't count towards qualification to the World Championships or Olympic Games," he noted.

"The same thing as the African Games which will be held in Ghana next year, they don't count for any qualification."

Tuwei was elected as one of World Athletics' Vice Presidents at the global body's polls on the eve of the 19th World Athletics Championships that ended in Budapest on Sunday.

Great Britain's middle distance Olympic legend Seb Coe was re-elected unopposed as President for his final term with the other Vice Presidents elected being Ximena Restrepo of Colombia, Raul Chapado (Spain) and Adille Sumariwalla (India).

Norfolk Islands' Geoff Gardner and Saudi Arabia's Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud both failed in their attempts to secure re-election as Vice Presidents.

Tuwei's election sees him as the highest ranking Kenyan official in global sports management, especially given the global appeal of track and field.

Previously, the late Athletics Kenya President, Isaiah Kiplagat, served as Council Member at World Athletics (previously International Association of Athletics Federations).

Cameroon's Malboum Kalkaba - like Tuwei a retired military general - was Vice President in the outgoing World Athletics' Council.

He will continue to serve on the Council as "area representative" being President of the African Athletics Confederation (CAA) where Tuwei also serves as Vice President.

Tuwei said specific roles of the four World Athletics Vice Presidents will be spelt out at their first full working meeting at the World Athletics headquarters in Monaco at the end of the year.

"It is then that we shall be assigned specific roles," he noted.

"The day before yesterday, we had the first Council Meeting to take over office and we were lucky that International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach also came and made a speech at this maiden meeting.

"But let's wait for our Council Meeting in Monaco at the end of the year for more details of specific roles."

Tuwei thanked his fellow Athletics Kenya executive committee members for the groundwork that saw his election at the competitive polls in Budapest.