Eldoret picked to host World Cross County Tour
World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe (second left) holds a relays baton with Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei (second right) as World Under-20 Championships ambassadors Milka Chemos and 800m world record holder David Rudisha look on in Nairobi on August 19, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei disclosed that the Eldoret Tour that is the seventh leg on the calendar will be staged on February 12, coming just a week before the World Cross Country Championships
- Tuwei noted that they will incorporate the Eldoret Tour on their local 2021/22 calendar with the invitational event being held separately from the National Cross Country Championships
- Tuwei indicated that Kenya is part of the five new events with the others being planned in the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Finland and Portugal
World Athletics has picked Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu County as one of its venues for the inaugural 2022 World Cross Country Tour that has 17 legs.
Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei disclosed that the Eldoret Tour that is the seventh leg on the calendar will be staged on February 12, coming just a week before the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.
Tuwei said that they presented Eldoret town at the World Athletics Council meeting during the Tokyo Olympics since Mombasa had hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships with Nairobi staging both the 2017 World Under-18 and 2021 World Under-20 Athletics Championships.
Notably, Nairobi is the venue of the Kip keino Classic, the last leg of the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour that was introduced last year.
“Our bid had the full backing from the government and we want to thank cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed for this great support,” Tuwei said, adding that it once again proves that World Athletics has faith in Kenya’s organisational skills.
Tuwei noted that they will incorporate the Eldoret Tour on their local 2021/22 calendar with the invitational event being held separately from the National Cross Country Championships.
“Eldoret Tour and the world event will be separated by a week and the national team will already be in camp preparing to leave for Australia,” said Tuwei, adding that a team will be put in place to plan for the event.
Tuwei noted that the elevation of some of the cross country events to Tour status while introducing new ones is part of World Athletics’ development program to give athletes more opportunities before the start of the proper track season.
Tuwei indicated that Kenya is part of the five new events with the others being planned in the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Finland and Portugal.
“The rest of the events have been staged for many years but have now been upgraded to World Tour,” said Tuwei as he promised to engage the Uasin Gishu government in view of planning and staging a successful event.
