Athletes compete in a previous AK cross-country race/ TEDDY MULEIAthletics Kenya (AK) will launch its campaign to prepare athletes for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing on October 24, when the new cross-country season gets underway in Machakos.
The first AK Cross Country Weekend Meeting of the 2026/2027 season will be staged at Machakos Teachers Training College, which has hosted the previous two cross-country meetings.
AK said it was finalising its competition calendar, with a series of cross-country and track and field meetings designed to prepare athletes for the global championships scheduled for September 2027 at Beijing National Stadium in China.
“The Road to Beijing will feature a comprehensive series of events comprising cross-country and track and field weekend meets, culminating in national championships and trials designed to provide athletes with a structured and competitive pathway,” the federation said in a statement.
The programme is expected to give athletes opportunities to assess their form, build endurance and stake their claims for places on the Kenyan team. The Machakos meeting will feature Under-18 girls competing over 4km and boys over 6km, while the Under-20 women will race over 6km and their male counterparts over 8km.
Senior men and women will compete over 10km, with the programme also featuring men’s and women’s 2km loop races. AK has urged athletes to begin preparations early and register through its official platforms ahead of the new season.
All participants are to collect their race bibs in person at Machakos Teachers Training College on Friday, October 23, between 9 am and 6 pm. Last year’s meeting produced a win for Maurine Chebor and Gideon Rono in the senior 10km races.
Chebor won the women’s race in 30:38, while Rono claimed the men’s title in 28:12. Cynthia Chepkurui and Festus Kimworo won the Under-20 titles in 18:55 and 21:53, respectively, while Caren Chepng’eno and David Toroitich triumphed in the 2km loop races in 6:32 and 5:32, respectively.
The Machakos meeting will mark the beginning of a season in which Kenyan athletes will seek to establish themselves ahead of national trials and the trip to Beijing in September 2027.
