Kasarani stadium which hosted the recently concluded World U-18 championships. [Photo/twitter/@iaaforg]
World Under-18 Championships local organising committee chairman, Jackson Tuwei, on Monday disclosed that his team held talks with International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Sebastian Coe about hosting the World Diamond league and Under20 championships.
“The success of the World Under-18 Championships has given us confidence to bid for future events and Coe indicated that he will support Kenya’s initiative,” Tuwei said on Monday.
Kenya will bid to host the 2020 World Under-20 Championships and one leg of the IAAF Diamond League Series immediately. This will be after meeting several conditions, among them guarantees of government funding.
“The IAAF is seriously considering us but we shall have to work hard and plan for the events,” he added.
Tuwei was speaking in Nairobi after a media update on the World Under-18 Championships that ended on Sunday at Moi international Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Muthee said Coe had indicated to him that the country has proven capable of handling events of a big magnitude, having hosted 131 countries in the five-day carnival at Kasarani.
Muthee paid tribute to the media for owning the championships, which saw them draw huge crowds to Kasarani. “The media helped us fill the stadium to record-breaking numbers,” Muthee said.
“It showed what Kenyans can achieve a lot together, achieving unity of purpose.” Muthee said that the benchmark of the championships was the athletes’ village at Kenyatta University, adding that the success of the venture was the talk of the world.
While thanking Kenyatta University’s acting Vice Chancellor Prof Paul Wainana for hosting the athletes’ village, Muthee said that although they faced challenges, organisers achieved their goal of presenting to the world a world-class championship.