Athletics Kenya relay trials in jeopardy

Kenya’s selections for the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Silesia, Poland is still in limbo as the government and Athletics Kenya haggle over a date for the delayed trials.

With just about 24 days left until the 5th edition of the World Relays, anxiety is building among athletes with fears that Kenya might withdraw from the event.

Athletics Kenya has placed a select number of athletes in a Covid-19 bubble at Kasarani but will not enter any athlete for the championships until trials are held.

The blanket ban on all gatherings in the country bars AK from holding the trials hence the back and forth between federations and both ministries of Sports and Health.

“We don’t have a date yet so the trails date cannot be set. As long as there is that ban on gatherings we cannot hold it,” Athletics Kenya vice president and Director of Competitions Paul Mutwii told Mozzart Sports on Wednesday morning

“We have created a bubble and placed probable participants at Kasarani to train so that if the government grants us a window to hold the trials then we’ll have athletes fit and ready for the World Relays,” he added

However, with the public health decree expected to last well into May the federation may not have sufficient time to conduct the trials and enter athletes for the biennial event.

That will consequently leave the federation with the only option of handing wild cards to the entire delegation.

Kenya is legible to enter at least twenty-six participants in the baton jamboree and the jostling for the meager slots is intense.

With competitions cancelled around the globe owing to the pandemic, every athlete wants the chance to race in Poland and Tokyo, Japan, the two confirmed events of the year so far.

“Winning or losing in the trials is a fair game. Let people prove they are the best and get the tickets but if Athletics Kenya give wild cards I can assure you that some very good athletes will miss out. The negotiations with the government should just go well so we have the trials,” an athlete who requested anonymity told Mozzart Sports.

Local Organizers of the World Relays are expecting at least 1000 athletes from 150 countries around the world. The officials and 350 volunteers raises the number of participants well over 2000.