Athletics Kenya warns of age-cheating in junior trials

World Under-18 800m silver medallist Lydia Jeruto in a past training session. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Athletics Kenya issued a stern warning on age cheating ahead of the double trials to select teams for the Africa Under-20 and Under-18 Athletics Championships slated for Abidjan, Ivory Coast on April 12-18. 

The two-day event set for March 21-22 at Kasarani Stadium, will see the first two finishers get automatic spots to the biennial continental showpiece.

Athletes will have to under-go an age vetting process on March 20 at Kasarani Stadium according to AK President Jackson Tuwei.

Earlier this week, AK kicked out two junior athletes from Team Kenya’s camp that is preparing for the World cross country Championships planned for March 30 in Aarhus, Denmark over age cheating.

“These trials give budding runners a great opportunity to showcase their talent and we also hope to select a very strong team that is also likely to get a chance to compete at the 2020 IAAF Under-20 Championships to be held in Nairobi,” Tuwei said.

“The issue of age cheating is a problem that we must eliminate to enable runners to compete in the right category,” he added.

Athletics Kenya youth affairs committee chairman Barnaba Korir said athletes participating in the event will be required to present a birth certificate and a letter from respective schools showing admission number.