World Athletics enlists AK Track and Field Weekend Meet as part of its Global Athletics calendar

The World Sports’ governing body, World Athletics has enlisted the Athletics Kenya (AK)Track and Field Weekend Meet that is to be held at the Nyayo National Stadium this coming weekend as a World Athletics Competition Ranking and part of its Global Athletics calendar.

According to the AK, the results of the different categories of competition at the event will be used by the World Athletcis for statistics of athletes. The athletes will have a chance to improve their rankings and have their records ratified by World Athletics.

“AK has entered this meet to the World Athletics Competition ranking. This means that the results can be used by World Athletics for statistical purposes, such as entry standards, World Ranking, Top List, Record, etc. The event now features on the World Athletics Global Calendar,” the statement read.

The event will also be an opportunity for the athletes who are not in the AIU/ADAK testing pool to be identified and tested ahead of the trials for the global event. If athletes should compete in national and international races, they are placed by the ADAK and WADA in a testing pool. When in the pool, they are tested in and outside of competition.

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The two-day event will also double up as trials to select the U18 and U20 team that will represent Kenya in the U18 and U20 East African Athletics Regional Championships that will be staged at the Benjamin William Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 10-11th March 2023.

The final team of 31 athletes will be picked and named by a panel of selectors with some budding athletes expected.

Among the juniors who put in a strong performance in the first leg and are probable to make the national team for the regional championships are Kenya Primary School Games 100m record holder Selpha Ajiambo, Nyanchoka Machoka of St Peter’s Keberesi and Nelly Chepchichir, the winner of the 1500m race in Kisumu.

The event will feature several categories including 100m men and women, 200m men and women, 800m men and women, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m and 10,000m men and women among others.

Japan-based Rebecca Mwangi was the winner of last year’s edition of the women’s 5000m while Matthew Samperu claimed the men’s 10,000m victory. Former national 100m champions Maximila Imali and Eunice Kadogi staged outstanding performances in the 100m.