Murkomen backs Kenya's bid for 2029 World Championships

Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has promised government support to enable Athletics Kenya (AK) identify and develop talent from marginalised regions.

He also promised to back AK bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships after Kenya through Nairobi City lost the bid to host the 2025 event which will be staged in Tokyo, Japan.

Murkomen said one of his dreams is to see gold medalists emerge from North Eastern, Coast and Upper Eastern regions.

“I remain hopeful that the affirmative action in athletics will produce for us talents from these regions. I look forward to gold medalists from places like Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit and Tana River. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have medalists from Marsabit when the country bordering them is our main rival in long distance races,” Murkomen said.

The CS said the ministry – through the Talanta Hela flagship — will continue supporting AK’s youth development camps, which he noted have produced numerous world beaters over the years.

“We have discussed on how to enhance the youth camps all over the country. I have been briefed on how the federation has been running camps during the holidays for the last 2-3 years and now we are ready to wrestle back the disciplines we had lost to other countries in the world,” he said.

Murkomen was speaking on Wednesday afternoon after a one-of-a-kind courtesy tour of Riadha House, headquarters of the national governing body for the sport.

The CS was briefed on the various programmes and success stories by the different regions and affiliates of AK.

He was also given a comprehensive tour, led by AK president Jack Tuwei, of the different departments at Riadha House, including the museum that collects athletics memorabilia before ending his tour with in a closed door meeting with AK regional officials and affiliates.

Also top on the agenda was the rehabilitation of the country’s sports facilities, particularly with a bias towards athletics.

Murkomen further revealed plans to establish training facilities in areas with huge potential to unearth talent.

“Western and Nyanza regions have high potential for producing very good sprinters. We are looking at establishing training facilities in these areas to identify and develop these talents,” he said.

The government is currently renovating the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in readiness for next year’s Africa Nations Championships (Chan).

Nonetheless, the CS said the renovation will be to a world class standard, to not only host Chan but also the World Athletics Championships in 2029.

“The tartan track will be redone and other athletics facilities improved to world standards. We want Kenya to host the World Championships and that’s why the ministry has given AK the go-ahead to submit their bid,” he said.

Kenya made a bid on the 2025 World Championships but eventually lost to Tokyo.

The country has hosted a number of international athletics events including the 2017 World Under 18 and 2021 World Under 20 Championships.