NAIROBI, Kenya, May 17 – Athletics Kenya have called off the planned Commonwealth Games Trials that had been scheduled for this weekend and announced they will consolidate them with the trials for the World Athletics Championships to be staged on June 24-25 at the Kasarani Stadium.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) who are in charge of Kenya’s contingent for the Commonwealth Games had requested AK to consolidate the two trials.
“The World Championships and Commonwealth Games will be happening very close to each other, so our mandate is to send the best team to both events. The athletes who will go to Oregon will be the same to represent Kenya in Birmingham,” said NOCK boss Paul Tergat.
Ak boss Jackson Tuwei said the selection criteria will remain the same where the first two across the line will make the team with the third athlete subjected to a panel of selectors.
“Besides individual performance, we shall also look at factors such as meeting the qualifying marks as well as the anti doping requirements,” explained Tuwei.
Tuwei added that only the marathon teams will be different for the two events.
“We are in consultations with the athletes and we have told them what our plans are. Ideally, if you make it from the gruelling Kenyan trials you will be good to double in the two events. However should there be cases of athletes not willing to go to either event, we shall make changes,” said Tuwei.
The World Championships will be staged in Oregon, United States from July 15-24 while the Commonwealth Games are scheduled to start four days later in Birmingham United Kingdom from July 28- August 5.
