Kenya ready to host World School Cross Country Championships

From left; AK president Jackson Tuwei, KSSSA chairman Kipchumba Maiyo, Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang (third left), ISF delegate Joseph Olabisi, Sports Ministry's Evans Achoka and LOC chairman Hassan Duale join students during the launch of the World Cross Country Championship (ISF) at Ngong Race Course, Nairobi. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Kenya will host the 2024 World School Cross Country Championships (WSCCC) at the Ngong Race Course in Nairobi on May 10-14, 2024.

Twenty countries have so far confirmed participation in the global athletics showpiece.

The nations include Kenya, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Ireland, Italy and Mexico.

Others are French International School -Kenya (Aefe Kenya), Morocco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Turkiye, Uganda and Luxembourg. 

The ongoing registration process has so far attracted 500 athletes students from across the globe.

The competition, being held in Africa for the first time, will feature three age groups (boys and girls) and they include the U-12, U-15 and the U-18 categories.

Apart from sports, the high level event will also incorporate cultural exchanges, education and tourism expos to be staged at the Bomas of Kenya.

"There will also be trainings for Physical Education teachers which run alongside the anti-doping clinics,"

Local Organising Committee chairman Hassan Duale told Standard Sports at the launch held in Nairobi on Thursday.

Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Chairman Kipchumba Maiyo welcomed the visitors home assuring that Kenya will host a top notch event that will raise Africa's status on the global map.

"We are prepared to anchor this event, Kenya is ready to showcase its prowess in the contest as a global athletics powerhouse," Maiyo stated.

Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei said it's a great honour for the country to be picked to host the championships for the first time in the continent.

"We are prepared to show the rest of Africa what we are capable of. We believe the competition will help the school going children to discover their talents, and I can assure that from here, the future world beaters will be born," highlighted Tuwei.

International School Sports Federation (ISF) Assessor, Joseph Olabisi, while representing the ISF president Laurent Petrynka, reiterated that sports is a unifying factor that helps to inculcate discipline amongst students.

"We believe that from this championships, we will see world beaters at the Olympics in the near future. 

"So far, from the organisation that has been put in place, we as ISF can confidently say that Kenya is ready to host this global event," Olabisi underlined.

Ministry of Sports representative Evans Achoka and Ministry of Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang echoed that the Government will fully fund the Championships.

" This is a very important activity for our children, by hosting this event we are securing their future- especially in Athletics," said Kipsang.

"As Kenyans, we feel privileged to be the first country in the continent to host an event of this magnitude. It shows the kind of faith that the world has on us."