• “We are expecting over 1,000 athletes. Kenya is known for producing top-notch athletes and we want to raise our flag even higher," added Korir.
• The government, through Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Ababu Namwamba (Sports), has promised to support the event.
Image: HANDOUT
The International Secondary Schools Federation (ISF) president Laurent Petrynka arrives in Kenya this week to assess the country's preparedness for the World Schools Cross Country in May.
The event's Chief Executive Officer Barnaba Korir said Petrynka will arrive on Thursday.
The schools' cross country show will be held between May 10 and 15 at the Ngong Racecourse.
“We are expecting the president on Thursday to inspect the progress of the preparations for the world event. The Local Organising Committee is committed to this event. We have to ensure everything is done as it should be,” said Korir.
“We will launch the event soon to inform the world of our progress. The LOC is moving fast. We have already identified the course.”
The event will feature Under 12, U-16 and U-19 categories.
“We are expecting over 1,000 athletes. Kenya is known for producing top-notch athletes and we want to raise our flag even higher," added Korir.
The government, through Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Ababu Namwamba (Sports), has promised to support the event.
Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) president Kipchumba Maiyo said the ministries have already entered an agreement with ISF.
Maiyo, the Kapsabet Boys High School principal, added: “We shall use the Term One school games in April to select a team good enough to compete against the rest of the world."
He said they will visit several camps synonymous with junior athletics as they scout for probables.
Meanwhile, with little more than three weeks to go until the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24, organisers have unveiled the medals for the global event on 30 March.
More than 500 athletes from roughly 60 teams will converge on Friendship Park in the Serbian capital at the end of this month to race for a place on the podium in individual, relay and team contests.
For the athletes who make it on to the podium, they will be rewarded with one of the championship medals that were commissioned by the Serbian Athletics Federation.
The medals feature the event logo, which has been inspired by the confluence of the rivers Sava and Danube in the Serbian capital and incorporates designs of carpets that were created in Serbia, representing the fabric of the past, present and future.
The medals were presented to the public for the first time on Friday (8 March) in Belgrade’s Friendship Park, where the championships will be held. To mark the occasion, local children from the Partizan Athletics Club and the Zemun Athletics Club raced in front of the ‘Eternal Fire’ monument and were given participation medals.
“These medals are not just a piece of metal but a symbol of effort, passion and dedication of every competitor who competes at these championships,” said Slobodan Brankovic, President of the local organising committee. “Each of them carries with it a story of training and determination that went into achieving such a medal.
“The Serbian Athletics Federation has organised many competitions in the past, including at the world and European level, and we always try to be unique and perfect in all elements of the organisation – including the design of medals.
“On Monday we will start with our championship preparations in Friendship Park, and in seven days you won't recognise this area,” he added.
Serbian distance runner Elzan Bibic explained what a medal means to an athlete.
“Being an athlete means much more than just running and competing,” said the European indoor 3000m bronze medallist. “It is a path filled with challenges, work and, of course, the support we receive from organisations like our athletics federation, city and state.
“Medals represent the hours of work, sacrifice and dedication invested in every moment of training. Each medal carries a story of ups, downs and the tremendous effort we put in to get to that moment. They’re not just awards, but symbols of perseverance and courage. For athletes, they represent not only success on the sports field, but also the pride and joy we bring to our country.”