Kenya’s successful bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships is a moment to celebrate, but more importantly, it is an opportunity to finally give the country’s athletes and fans a global event on home soil.
The decision is long overdue. For decades, Kenya has dominated athletics, producing world and Olympic champions who have carried the country’s flag with distinction across the globe. Yet the world’s biggest athletics showcase has never been staged on Kenyan soil. That changes in 2029.
The celebrations should, however, be brief. The real job starts now, and we must all roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Kenya is not starting from scratch. We can build on the experience of hosting major global events, including the World Under-18 Championships, World Under-20 Championships and World Cross Country Championships.
The country also successfully hosted the African Nations Championship (CHAN) last year and is preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations.
That experience, infrastructure and expertise must now be harnessed towards delivering a World Championships that meets the highest international standards.
The 2029 championships must be more than a sporting spectacle. They should leave a lasting legacy in infrastructure, tourism, youth development and the growth of athletics. Kenya has earned the right to host the world. Now we must prove we are ready to do it exceptionally well.
Quote of the Day: “We get real results only in proportion to the real values we give.” —American department store founder James Cash Penney was born on September 16, 1875
