World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has expressed confidence in Kenya’s preparations to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, describing the event as a historic opportunity for the country and the African continent.
Coe said the successful delivery of the championships would require close collaboration between the government, World Athletics, Athletics Kenya and other stakeholders, noting that President William Ruto had pledged his full support for the preparations.
Speaking to journalists in Eldoret after meeting President Ruto, the Cabinet Secretary and Athletics Kenya officials, Coe said the discussions had focused on establishing a strong foundation for the successful organisation of the global athletics event.
He said the championships would be the first of their kind to be hosted in Kenya and Africa, presenting significant opportunities for athletes and communities across the country.
“I was able to talk to the president about the extraordinary opportunities that these championships will provide, not just for athletes but for people across Kenya,” Coe said.
He added that he was pleased with the commitment demonstrated by the president and other officials involved in the preparations, saying the cooperation would be critical in delivering an event of such magnitude.
Coe noted that organising the World Athletics Championships involved complex planning and coordination, requiring all parties to work together as one team.
“I couldn’t ask more from everybody I’ve met today, and I think it bodes well for the delivery of these championships over the next three years,” he said.
The World Athletics chief also defended Nairobi’s selection as host city following concerns raised after the announcement that other cities, including New York, might have been more suitable.
Coe said Nairobi had emerged successfully from a highly competitive bidding process involving four major cities: Nairobi, Munich, London and Rome.
He noted that Munich had been selected to host the 2031 edition, while London and Rome had previously staged the championships.
According to Coe, the World Athletics Council, comprising 26 members drawn from across the globe, considered Nairobi’s bid against a clear set of evaluation criteria before making its decision.
“This was probably the most competitive bidding round that World Athletics has ever had,” he said, adding that Kenya had prevailed against a strong field of contenders.
Coe also highlighted progress in expanding opportunities for international athletics competitions across Africa during his presidency.
He cited the World Athletics Under-20 Championships and World Athletics Under-18 Championships held in Nairobi, the World Cross Country Championships staged in Uganda, and Africa’s hosting of the World Athletics Relays.
He also pointed to the establishment of a Diamond League meeting on the continent and the Continental Tour as milestones in broadening the competition calendar for African athletes.
The 2029 championships, he said, would represent the culmination of these efforts and a major step towards strengthening Africa’s place in global athletics.
Coe disclosed that World Athletics was holding discussions with Athletics Kenya and other African federations on the possibility of establishing an African athletics circuit to provide more competition opportunities on the continent.
He said such an initiative would help athletes access competitive events closer to home while supporting the development of the sport across Africa.
The World Athletics President further expressed confidence that Kenya’s high-altitude training environments would attract international athletes seeking to acclimatise ahead of the 2029 championships.
He said athletes preparing for major competitions often benefit from spending time in the host environment before the event to adjust to local conditions, time differences and other factors that could affect performance.
Coe, who drew from his own experience as a competitor, said there was every reason for international athletes to consider training in Kenya ahead of the championships.
“If you are an athlete and you want to prepare properly for a championship, when I was competing I wanted to do exactly the same,” he said.
“I can’t think of any good reason why athletes would not want to spend time in Kenya, in any host city, in the lead-up to a championship.”
Kenya’s hosting of the 2029 World Athletics Championships is expected to create opportunities to promote athletics, strengthen the country’s international sporting profile and expand the continent’s role in staging major global sporting events.
Coe’s visit and consultations with the Kenyan leadership form part of the engagement with key stakeholders as preparations gather momentum towards the historic championships.
By Ekuwam Sylvester and Fredrick Maritim
