International Association of Athletics Federation have sent a delegation of three technical delegates in the country to inspect facilities ahead of the 2017 World U-20 Championships.
The delegation is led by Chair of Competition Committee Jose Luis de Carlos alongside Luis Saladie and Sylvia Barlag. The team is in the country for a two-day tour of the facilities that are expected to play host to the youth show at Safaricom Stadium (competition venue) and Kenyatta University (accommodation).
Yesterday, they toured the facilities in the company of the Local Organizing Committee led by chairman Jackson Tuwei and chief executive officer, Mwangi Muthee.
Kenya will host the U18 championships between July 12 and 16, 2017, which will serve as the third largest athletics event in the country after the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa and Africa Senior Championships in Nairobi in 2010.
The delegation is expected to advise LOC on the technical aspects in as far as facilities at Kasarani and Kenyatta University are concerned. At Kasarani, a new tartan is expected to be laid down on both the main and warm track as well as an outdoor venue for throws. At Kenyatta University, the IAAF alongside the LOC will establish a village for the athletes. The IAAF have also announced plans to build a high Performance Training Centre at the university as part of the games’ legacy.
And with the slow pace of preparations towards the event, the delegates are set to advise on the priorities for the event.
A similar delegation led by Emanuele Perotti-Nigra, IAAF director of Technology and Information, toured the country two weeks ago where they called for speedy preparations. Others were Jan Zmek (AMS marketing), Ken Britland (Seiko), Daniel Hawkes (Canon) and Luca Sperotti (Deltatre). Zmek said: “I am not happy as yet (with the preparations) but have hope it can be done, there is no other way. We must be ready for the more than 160 nations.