Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei has attributed Kenya's successful bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships to the country's generations of talented athletes. Upon his return from Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuwei expressed his gratitude to Kenyan athletes, stating that their achievements on the global stage made the bid possible. He emphasized that Kenya's strong legacy in athletics, which began in the 1940s, will continue to thrive.
Tuwei cited Kenya's previous successful hosting of global events as evidence of the country's readiness for the championships. He mentioned that Athletics Kenya has been hosting championships since 2007, including the World Cross Country Championships, the 2017 World U18 Championships, and the 2021 World U20 Championships. With the 2029 World Athletics Championships, Kenya will host its first senior World Championships.
The World Athletics vice president described the successful bid as a triumph not only for Kenya but for the entire African continent. Nairobi will become the first African city to host the senior World Championships. Tuwei expressed his gratitude to World Athletics for believing in Kenya and noted that the country's success will inspire the rest of Africa.
Tuwei emphasized that preparations for the 2029 championships will begin immediately. He welcomed visitors to Nairobi in 2029 and announced that the first delegation from World Athletics will arrive in Kenya within the next two weeks to inspect competition venues and other key facilities. This will mark the beginning of a busy period leading up to the championships.
The journey to the 2029 World Athletics Championships will include the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Tuwei urged the athletics fraternity to unite behind the ambitious project and expressed his confidence in Kenya's ability to host a successful championships.
Tuwei reserved special praise for President William Ruto, whose strong backing of the bid helped sway the World Athletics Council. He thanked President Ruto for his support, which made a significant difference in the bid's success. The president's endorsement was instrumental in securing the hosting rights for Kenya.
With the 2029 World Athletics Championships, Kenya is expected to showcase its capabilities as a host country. The championships will provide an opportunity for Kenya to demonstrate its expertise in organizing global events. Key points: - Kenya will host the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi. - The country's legacy in athletics and successful hosting of previous events contributed to the bid's success. - Preparations for the championships will begin immediately, with inspections by World Athletics starting in two weeks.
