Nyanza South region will use their Athletics Kenya (AK) cross country meeting on January 29 at Kisii Golf Club course as a dry run for the National Championships-cum-Trials at the same venue on February 13.
AK hope to use the National Trials to pick a team for to represent Kenya at the Africa Cross Country Championships in Lome, Togo on March 6-7.
Nyanza South regional chairman, Peter Angwenyi, said: “We have already booked the Kisii Sports Club venue for the two events and we are looking forward to hosting successful regional and national event.”
The national team is expected to camp at St Mark's Teachers Training College, Kigari in Embu for training ahead of the Togo event.
“The golf course is in perfect condition. This course can host even an international event,” said Angwenyi while touring the Kisii Golf Club course in company of his assistant secretary Peter Nyambane and retired athlete Thomas Osano.
He said technical officials from the national office will team up with locals to mark the course in due course. “Some teams have already confirmed participation ahead of the national event,” Angwenyi noted.
Osano, a former cross country runner, added: “This is a perfect cross country course with natural barriers. I’m sure athletes will enjoy running here.”
Angwenyi said preparations for the national event are in top gear with the Kisii County Government committing to partner with the regional office to make the event a success. “We wish to thank the county government for accepting our request to partner with us,” he said.
Kisii Sports Minister Duke Mainga thanked AK for choosing Kisii to host the event. “As a sports department in Kisii, we are greatly humbled by AK’s decision to have Kisii host the national cross country championships,” said Mainga.
On December 17 last year, AK’s chief administrative officer Susan Kamau wrote to AK Nyanza South asking the regional officials to get a commitment from the county in as far as hosting the national event is concerned.
