AK announce World U20 Championship trials dates
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 16.05.26. | 07:16
A final team of 36 will be selected from the over 200 invitees for the two-day exercise
Athletics Kenya (AK) has scheduled to conduct invite-only national trials for the World U20 championships on Friday, 22 to Saturday, 23 May at Nyayo National Stadium.
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This year’s World Under 20 Championships will be held on 4 to 9 August at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, and Kenya is looking to field a strong squad, even as the federation shares a strict selection process.
A final team of 36 will be selected from the over 200 invitees for the two-day exercise. The team will be looking to improve of Kenya's performance from Lima, Peru, in 2024, where the country finished fifth overall after winning seven medals, three gold, three silver, and one bronze.
Invited athletes have been drawn from the Kenya Primary and Secondary Schools National Competitions, and the top performers at all AK sanctioned meets. However, they must participate to be selected.
The selection criteria will see the first athlete to cross the finish line automatically selected provided they have qualified as per the World athletics Under 20 Entry Standards.The selection of the second athlete where necessary, is subject to the decision of the selection panel.
What's more, athletes who wish to double will be allowed to do so, however, the decision to double at the World Championships will be a preserve of the selection panel.
Additionally, strict eligibility checks have been put in place with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and the Athletics Integrity Unit set to confirm compliance with required testing standards for all selected athletes.
“Because of the past issues that have come up before, we are not going to have an open championship where anyone can come and compete. We have already identified athletes who will be competing. The athletes need to be tested, and they have to meet other criteria, so we are not free to do as we wish as a country. We must check that we are competing within those limits," AK youth development chairman Barnaba Korir said.
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Athletes to compete must have been born between 1, January 2007 to 31, December 2010. With an increase in age cheating allegations globally, World Athletics will verify athletes’ ages through official validation processes beyond just birth certificates or passports, as part of efforts to ensure full integrity ahead of team selection.