This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Published on November 25, 2019, Kenya is gearing up to host the World U-20 Athletics Championships in July 2020, following the successful staging of the 2017 World Under-18 Athletics Championships.
The country is also bidding to stage the new World Athletics Continental Tour and the 2025 World Athletics Championships, which will put Kenya in the global spotlight and bring numerous benefits to local sports people and the economy.
However, hosting such global competitions requires significant investments in infrastructure, and Kenya's sports facilities are in a deplorable state despite millions of shillings being spent on renovations.
The Moi International Sports Complex-Kasarani in Nairobi, which has been earmarked to host the two competitions, is in a pathetic state, and the slow pace of preparations for the World U-20 event is a major source of concern due to the government's delay in releasing funds.
Event organisers have also fallen behind in laying out a synthetic training track at Kenyatta University, where the athletes will reside and train during the event.
Kenya should take note that with Africa's turn to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships coming in 2025, countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Morocco that already have modern facilities will also bid to host the event, making it essential for Kenya to act now and invest in its sports infrastructure.
