AK starts busy year

Athletics chiefs are preparing for a busy season that will culminate in the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro.

Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said they will soon meet to name a provisional team for the Olympics “to beat the deadline for registration".

“Many athletes have met the qualification marks for the (Olympic) Games and we will sit down and go through the list to name a provisional team to send to Rio de Janairo,” Lt Gen (Rtd) Tuwei told FeverPitch yesterday.

“We are also preparing for the African Championships in Durban (South Africa) in June, World Junior Championships in June and the Diamond League circuit,” he said.

The World Junior Championships was to be held in Russia, but IAAF moved all global events that were to be held in the county after it was suspended from all international competitions due to reported systematic doping.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) also suspended accreditation for its anti-doping laboratory.

The retired Kenya Army Commander said their focus this year will be on these competitions, and organising qualifying events for them, rather than elections as suggested by some AK officials.

“It is not the right time to talk about elections, although members are entitled to their opinion. There are quite a number of issues to tackle this year and elections and the politics around them will only distract us from our main agenda, which is development of athletics and athletes,” he said.

Tuwei said after the Olympics, there will also be the World Youth Championships which Kenya will host in 2017, which will occupy most of the post-Olympic period. “That will give us no time to rest after the Olympics because we want to stage a successful global event,” said Lt gen Tuwei.

Meanwhile, institutions in Migori AK County have been urged to start early preparations for the season, chairman, Ken Boro, said.

Boro said the County championships will be in Menyenya Primary School on January 15 and the Regional event in Sironga Secondary School on January 29.

He called on institutions to mobilise resources and prepare athletes well for the events.

“We are very grateful to the Migori county government for facilitating the county championships to be held in Menyenya,” said Boro.

“I am urging corporates within the county to come on board and help develop athletics. Schools have been at the forefront of sports development, but they need the support of corporates, who have a budget for CSR to develop sports further,” he said.

He commended schools that lead in athletics like Kanga High, Ulanda Girls, Uriri Boys, Manyata High, Isebania and Taranganya.

Boro urged others to take athletics just as seriously as they take ball games.