Kenya names 104 athlete squad for World Relays and African Championships

Athletes running on the track during the combined national trials at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi./KNA

Athletics Kenya (AK) has unveiled a contingent of 104 athletes set to represent the country at the upcoming World Relays in Botswana and the African Championships in Ghana.

Featuring Kenya’s top talent across sprints, middle and long, distance races, jumps, throws, and combined events, the selections were finalised after a thrilling three-day combined trials from April 9 to 11 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on Saturday, 11 April.

The World Relays are slated for May 2-3, 2026, in Gaborone, Botswana, with the African Championships taking centre stage from May 12 to May 17, 2026, in Accra, Ghana.

Of the total squad, 30 athletes will compete in the World Relays in Gaborone, while 74 athletes will vie for continental glory at the African Championships in Accra.

In Gaborone, Kenya will parade five relay teams: the 4x100m and 4x400m mixed relays; men’s and women’s 4x400m squads; as well as the men’s 4x100m team.

The African Championships squad features a mix of established stars and emerging talent. Notable names include five-time javelin champion Julius Yego and world 1500m bronze medallist Reynold Cheruiyot, both carrying high expectations for medal success.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s relay ambitions will be anchored by Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala alongside seasoned sprinter Millicent Ndoro, forming the backbone of the nation’s sprint arsenal.

Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei expressed confidence in the squad’s readiness, expressing belief in their ability to rise to the occasion on both fronts.

"We hope and believe that the athletes will perform well. They are prepared and in high spirits. We wish them all the best as they go out to represent the country," Tuwei said.

The trials produced standout performances across multiple events. In the men’s 800m, Kelvin Loti claimed victory in 1:45.04, closely followed by Laban Chepkwony (1:45.19) and Brian Masai (1:45.82).

In the men’s 5,000m, Denis Kemboi clocked 13:33.74 to win ahead of Andrew Alamisi (13:34.30) and Amason Kireu (13:36.42).

Reynold Cheruiyot dominated the men’s 1,500m, finishing in 3:36.1, edging Brian Komen (3:36.4) and Dominic Bargentuny (3:37.4).

In the men’s javelin throw, Boniface Kilonzo edged a tightly contested duel, unleashing a winning throw of 76.76m to narrowly beat Alexander Kiprotich (76.71m), while Duncan Kinyanchui settled for third with 70.06m.

With preparations complete, Kenya now looks forward to asserting its dominance on both the global and continental stages.