With just one cross country event remaining on the Athletics Kenya calendar, the Sirikwa Classic, president Jackson Tuwei said focus has shifted towards the track and field season with Tokyo 2025 in their mind.
The Sirikwa Classic, a World Athletics gold label event, will be held on 22 February at Lobo Village in Kapseret, Uasin Gishu county.
After this, Tuwei said, the federation will put all efforts on the ‘Road to Tokyo’ for the World Championships in September.
Speaking after the conclusion of the local cross-country series with the national championships at Eldoret Sports Club, Tuwei said: “We have wrapped up the cross-country circuit, but we have one last race— the Sirikwa Cross Country, an invitational event.”
The AK boss revealed that the track and field season opener, initially scheduled for Bukhungu Stadium on February 14-15, has been moved to Mumias due to poor conditions at the former.
“Our first track and field event was going to be in Bhukungu Stadium but we are informed that the track is not in good condition. We have opted to move the event to Mumias,” Tuwei said.
This will be followed by a stop at Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri on 27 February to 1 March.
Tuwei underscored the importance of starting on a high, given the packed calendar.
“We have several major competitions ahead including the World Indoor Championships, World Relays, African U-18 and U-20 Championships and, ultimately, the World Championships,” said Tuwei.
The World Indoor Championships are set for 21-23 March in Nanjing, China, with the World Relays set for May 10-11 in Guangzhou, China.
Oran, Algeria, will host the African U-18 and U-20 Championships on 14-18 July. Tuwei urged coaches to help athletes meet qualifying standards as early as possible.
“I call on all officials, coaches and athletes to plan well. It is crucial to hit the qualifying marks before the window closes,” said Tuwei.
“I congratulate the winners today and for those who did not, you still have a chance at Sirikwa or in future events.”
He warned against age cheating: “We are actively investigating cases of age manipulation. It is a serious matter. We urge athletes and officials to ensure all documents are accurate.”
