Nairobi seeks to host world’s biggest Continental Tour
Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei (second left) with Golazo Sports representatives Owen Malone (left), Cedric Van Brateghem (second right) and Athletics Kenya’s Barnabas Korir during a briefing on the May 2 Nairobi leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on March 3, 2020.
What you need to know:
- The Kenyan government is footing a large part of the bill to host the one-day competition with World Athletics and various sponsors expected to chip in
- Golazo’s technical chief Owen Malone said Golazo Belgium will support the Nairobi’s event with technical insights with a view to allowing Kenyan event organisers stand on their feet in years to come
- Nairobi Continental Tour director Barnaba Korir assured that the Nairobi meet will invite high-profile global athletes for May 2
Nairobi hopes to hit the ground running and organise an inaugural leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour meeting that will place the Kenyan capital on the pedestal of hosting bigger track and field competitions, with the 2025 World Championships in the crosshairs.
Briefing journalists on the preparations of the May 2 Continental Tour meeting at the competition’s Kasarani venue on Tuesday, officials from Athletics Kenya and event organisers from Belgian sports management company Golazo expressed optimism that deadlines would be met despite the late awarding of Nairobi the hosting rights.
The Kenyan government is footing a large part of the bill to host the one-day competition with World Athletics and various sponsors expected to chip in. The figures are yet to be disclosed.
“We are grateful to the government and the Cabinet Secretary for Sports for having supported the event including travelling to Monaco for the World Athletics Gala last year where the Cabinet Secretary argued Nairobi’s case for the Continental Tour,” Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said.
“I’d also like to thank World Athletics and colleagues at Athletics Kenya for having worked day and night to make this event a success.”
Cedric Van Branteghem, the athletics director at Golazo, who also organise the Brussels Diamond League meeting, said Nairobi has the ability of being the biggest one-day athletics meeting in the world.
“The Kasarani stadium is built for athletics, breathes athletics and this is a fantastic opportunity for Kenyan athletics and African athletics,” said Van Branteghem, who noted that should Kasarani’s 60,000 capacity be realised on May 2, then the Nairobi Continental Tour meet will easily be the biggest one-day competition in the world, even eclipsing the Brussels and Berlin meetings which pendulum between 44,000 and 50,000 spectators.
“We shall invite the best athletes… we have a unique opportunity in Kenya to set up the best one-day event in the world,” Van Branteghem added.
TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
Golazo’s technical chief Owen Malone said Golazo Belgium will support the Nairobi’s event with technical insights with a view to allowing Kenyan event organisers stand on their feet in years to come and possibly elevate the Kenyan meeting to Diamond League status.
“Kenya is a country known for athletics. Everyone understands athletics and loves the sport. I’m very excited about this project as we have great potential of hosting the biggest one-day meeting in the world,” Malone observed.
Nairobi joins nine other global cities as hosts of the newly-introduced World Athletics Continental Tour which falls a rank below the Diamond League Series.
Golazo Belgium Sports representatives Owen Malone (left) and Cedric Van Brateghem (right) talk to journalists during a briefing on the May 2 Nairobi leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on March 3, 2020. PHOTO | ELIAS MAKORI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The Kenyan capital will host the opening leg with Tokyo the next event on the calendar on May 10.
World Athletics has included key events which were dropped from the Diamond League’s broadcast window on the Continental Tour, namely the 5,000 metres, the 3,000 metres steeplechase along with the discuss, triple jump and 200 metres.
Nairobi has already expressed interest in hosting the World Athletics Championships in 2025.
“Our enthusiasm and performance in athletics is high, so if we get it right in organising the Continental Tour, then we have a great chance for 2025,” Tuwei added.
Nairobi Continental Tour director Barnaba Korir assured that the Nairobi meet will invite high-profile global athletes for May 2.
“We already have a lot of interest from top athletes and we shall make sure we keep the quality high, of both Kenyan athletes and international athletes as there is a quota reserved for international athletes coming from other nations,” Korir assured.
The 2020 World Athletics Continental Tour calendar:
May 2 – Nairobi, Kenya (Africa)
May 10 – Tokyo, Japan (Asia)
May 13 – Nanjing, China (Asia)
May 22 – Ostrava, Czech Republic (Europe)
June 1 – Hengelo, Netherlands (Europe)
June 9 – Turku, Finland (Europe)
June 13 – Kingston, Jamaica (North America)
July 7 – Szekesfehervar, Hungary (Europe)
September 6 – Silesia, Poland (Europe)
September 15 – Zagreb, Croatia (Europe)
