Kenyan athletes have lost Sh5 billion due to Covid effects

Hellen Obiri competes in the Mixed Relays during the AK/LOTTO National Cross Country Championship at the Ngong Race Course on February 13, 2021. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Kenya has lost close to Sh5 billion in revenue from athletes’ prize money earnings since March 2020 due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, Athletics Kenya (AK) Executive member Barnabas Korir has revealed.

The pandemic turned the world of sports upside down leading to cancellation, suspension and postponement of many major sporting events like the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, London Marathon, Boston Marathon, Paris Marathon, Rotterdam Marathon, Hamburg Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York Marathon, some of the Diamond League meetings, World U20 championships and several half marathons spread across Europe, Asia and America.