56
| 1 12-16 JULY 2017 Nairobi , Kenya MOI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CENTRE, KASARANI OFFICIAL PROGRAMME

OFFICIAl PROGRAMME - World Athletics

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

| 1

12-16 july 2017Nairobi , Kenya

MOI INTERNATIONAl SPORTS CENTRE, KASARANIOFFICIAl PROGRAMME

2 |

| 3

Message from the IAAF President - Lord Sebastian Coe

Message from the Patron, The First Lady of the Republic of Kenya H.E. Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta

Message from the Governor of Nairobi - Dr. Evans Kidero

Message from the LOC CEO – Mr. Mwangi Muthee

Message From Athletics Kenya President - Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jackson TuweiMessage from the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and the Arts - Hon. Dr. Hassan Wario AreroPrincipal Secretary State Department of Sports Development - Amb Peter Kirimi Kaberia CBS

IAAF Council List

IAAF Competition Delegates

Local Organizing Committee Members

Kenya – Brief Story

Nairobi: The City In The Sun

Nairobi City Attractions

A Little Swahili For Our U18 Guests

Map Of Nairobi

History Of The IAAF World U18 Championships

Championship U18 Records

U18 – World Best Perfomances- Men

U18 – World Best Perfomances- Women

Competition Timetable

Stadium Map & Ticket Prices

List of IAAF Member Federations

Profiles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

10

9

22

11

26

12

29

28

13

31

36

30

35

32

41

33

5

14

4

6

17

7

20

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

4 |

MESSAGE FROM THE IAAF PRESIDENT - LORD SEBASTIAN COE

It gives me great pleasure to write this foreword to the Official Programme of the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017.

These World U18 Championships mark an historic moment for Kenyan athletics as they are the first global track and field championships that the country has ever staged. Kenya’s only previous experience as a host of an IAAF World Athletics Series event was in 2007 when the port city of Mombasa was the venue for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

While Kenya is not the first African country to have hosted these Championships, as back in 2005 Morocco staged the then World Youth Championships, nevertheless this edition in the Kenyan capital marks another important organisational step for Africa to organising the senior IAAF World Championships.

Teams from over 100 countries have gathered here in Nairobi for five days of athletics at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, for what promises to be a marvellous celebration of youth athletics. The host team cheered on by a passionate audience, who know a thing or two about top class middle and long distance running, can be expected to add to their historic tally of 43 gold medals won at the nine previous editions of these Championships.

I look forward to the Championships and the opportunity to soak in the sporting culture of a country which lives and breathes running. In many respects visiting Kenya represents a pilgrimage to one of the temples of athletics which, from the first Olympic triumphs of Amos Biwott, Kipchoge Keino and Naftali Temu in the 1960s, have produced some of the world’s greatest endurance athletes.

On behalf of the IAAF, I would like to thank the Kenyan people for extending such a warm welcome to the global athletics family and to acknowledge everyone who has helped make these championships possible including the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, Nairobi County Government, the Official Partners and Suppliers of this World Athletics Series event, Asics, Seiko, TDK and Mondo, and the Local Organising Committee and Athletics Kenya and their partners and suppliers.

I wish the young athletes competing this week, many of whom will be travelling abroad for the first time in their lives, an enjoyable experience and, along with the coaches, officials, media and spectators, a successful and memorable time at the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017.

Lord Sebastian CoeIAAF President

| 5

MESSAGE FROM THE PATRON, THE FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, H.E. MRS. MARGARET KENYATTA

Welcome to Kenya!

It is a great honour for Kenya to be hosting the 10th and final edition of the IAAF World U18 Championships. We are especially proud to be inviting so many young and talented athletes from all over the world to this prestigious event. I applaud the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for granting Kenya this unique opportunity to offer a springboard for the success of future stars.

I wish to pay tribute to all the previous hosts: Bydgoszcz (1999), Debrecen (2001), Sherbrooke (2003), Marrakech (2005), Ostrava (2007), Brixen (2009), Lille (2011), Donetsk (2013) and Cali (2015) – for enabling talented youths to lay great foundations for their track and field careers.

The Championships offer an occasion to celebrate, applaud and recognise the diverse talents and abilities of young people across the world who have all worked extremely hard to prepare and participate in this event. Our own celebrated Kenyan athletes have risen to greatness through previous participation in these Championships and I hope they will serve as an inspiration to others.

Dear friends, 2017 is a significant year for African athletics with another World Athletics Series event, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships being successfully hosted in Kampala, Uganda, in March.

In addition, I also wish to pay tribute to the IAAF for granting Africa a leg of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League Series with Morocco hosting the 10th round of the 2017 Series on July 16; the same day we conclude the IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi.

Finally, I would like to commend the Government of Kenya through it’s various Ministries led by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, the Local Organising Committee, Athletics Kenya, Kenyatta University, all our sponsors, partners, suppliers, officials and, in a most special way, the volunteers who are working round the clock to ensure Nairobi delivers a memorable final edition of the World U18 Championships.To all our visitors, I would like to encourage you to take time off after these Championships to sample our world famous High Altitude Athletics Training Centres. Our country also boasts amazing flora and fauna and you will certainly leave with lasting memories through visits to our beautiful coastal beaches, national parks, game reserves and historical sites such as those in Northern Kenya; which is an archaeological haven and the cradle of mankind. To all participating athletes, I wish you success in your respective events; may these Championships present you with great opportunities as stars and headline makers in the future.H. E. Mrs Margaret KenyattaThe First Lady of The Republic of Kenya

6 |

Now that it is all systems go for the IAAF World U18 Championships, allow me to welcome the global athletics fraternity to our beautiful county and capital city.

After many weeks of preparations by our national and county governments, world and national athletics authorities, athletes, volunteers and other stakeholders, our beautiful city and great nation are ready to host the youth of the world for the next six days of competition and cultural celebration.

Kenyans are very hospitable people and Nairobi, being the microcosm of the nation’s society, is the right place to be in the coming days.

I urge the delegations to exercise care at all times, Nairobi being a cosmopolitan place with people of different interests and behaviour. In the same vein, I

urge delegations to visit our tourist sites in and around the city and to explore the flora and fauna of our great nation.

Make a date to return here in the future to relax and enjoy our world class tourism at the Coast, in the world’s eighth wonder of Maasai Mara, or on the Western circuit where there are many other sites along the Lake region.

Through this official programme, I now wish to welcome the entire delegations to Nairobi County and I wish the youth of the world a very enjoyable stay and successful participation in the 10th IAAF World U18 Championships.

Dr Evans O Kidero, EGHGovernor Of Nairobi County

MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NAIROBI DR. EVANS KIDERO

The Nairobi National Park

| 7

MESSAGE FROM THE LOC CEO – MR. MWANGI MUTHEE

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017 welcomes all our visitors. On behalf of all Kenyans, we are happy to have you around during this historic moment when our country for the first time hosts a major IAAF World Athletics Series (WAS) event, the 11th and final edition of the IAAF World U18 Championships.

We thank the Kenya Government led Steering Committee, the Government of the Nairobi City County and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). We thank them for their support, in finance, kind and personnel, the faith they put in and the encouragement they have given the LOC at every step of the way in preparing for these championships.

We hope to see wonderful competition, fast times run and huge distances jumped and thrown, by the participants who range between 15 and 17 years of age. Ours is a country with immense admiration for young athletes. We appreciate our big track and field world stars but when we discuss their careers, the interesting back story is how they developed as athletes, how well and where they competed as children.

Kenya has given birth to a long list of athletics super stars most of whom started out as supremely talented children whose abilities defied belief. Among these greats are Seraphino Antao, Mathew Birir, Amos Biwott, Naftali Bon, Wilfred Bungei, Faith Chepngetich, Lydiah Cheromei, Vivian Cheruiyot, Wilson Kiprugut Chumo, Paul Ereng’, Ruth Jebet, Pamela Jelimo, Janeth Jepkosgei, Ben Jipcho, Julius Kariuki, Kipchoge Keino, Wilson Kosgei Kipketer, Lornah Kiplagat, Asbel Kiprop, Paul Koech, Amos Korir, , Billy Konchellah, Bernard Lagat, Catherine Ndereba, Noah Ng’eny, John Ngugi, Henry Rono, Daniel Rudisha, David Rudisha, Peter Rono, Saif Saaeed Shaheen, William Tanui, Naftali Temu, Paul Tergat,

Douglas Wakiihuri and Samuel Wanjiru.

These championships will be Kenya’s time to re-live its history of athletics and we hope it will also be of interest to many in the rest of the world. Nyandika Maiyoro was the first to captivate the nation, then a British colony, during the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He finished seventh in the 5000m but he is remembered as if he was a winner. It was at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, the second games that Kenya attended (after 1954 in Vancouver, Canada) that the country first grabbed medals. Arere Anentia took bronze at the 6 miles and Bartonjo Rotich, bronze at the 440 yards hurdles.

The LOC will be making sure that as many pioneer medallists as possible from the past Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and All Africa Games, will be at Moi International Sports Centre to mingle with and inspire young athletes of today during the World U18 Championships. Because we are at home, our youngsters will benefit from a full entry in every event discipline at these championships with furious competition having taken place for team places. Look out for those in the technical events such as hurdling, jumping and throwing as we are probably in for major surprises.

Preparing for these championships has been no mean task. Closer to the deadlines the LOC seriously needed help and a confidence booster. We were overwhelmed when the nation rallied in support, many contributing immensely. I take the opportunity to sincerely applaud His Excellency President Uhuru Kenya and Patron of the Championships and Her Excellency First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, a true sports person in her own right. I also thank the relevant Government ministries including the Office of the President, The Treasury, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Education, Transport, ICT and Tourism.

8 |

There is still a lot to be done during the championships and we rely and greatly appreciate the invaluable support of technical experts from the IAAF drawn from all over the world, our own volunteers and IAAF and LOC partners. Our intent is to be competent in organisation. If we do it we will make a firm statement that there is emerging ability and appetite for staging big world sports events. It will also energise those in our country, East Africa and Africa as whole to seek limitless business opportunities around sport.

Africa has previously had the honour of hosting six IAAF World Athletics Series events: five IAAF World Cross Country championships: Morocco twice (1975 Rabat, 1998 Marrakech),

1996, Stellenbosch (South Africa), 2007, Mombasa (Kenya) and 2017, Kampala (Uganda) and the IAAF WU18 Championships in Marrakech (Morocco) in 2005. If Kenya stages a World U18 Championships of quality to the approval of the world, the LOC already has lofty ambitions that the country might bid to host a future edition of the IAAF World U20 Championships. Why not as soon as the 2020 edition?

Welcome all and please feel at home and enjoy the sport and your stay in Kenya.

Mwangi MutheeThe LOC Chief Executive OfficerIAAF World U18 Championships, Nairobi 2017

| 9

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF LOC LT. GEN (RTD) JACKSON TUWEI

It gives me great pleasure on behalf of Athletics Kenya and the Local Organising Committee of the IAAF World U18 Championships 2017 to welcome you to Nairobi. I would like, from the outset, to thank the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and its President, Lord Sebastian Coe, for granting Nairobi the honour of hosting the 10th and final edition of these under-18 championships. There couldn’t have been a better choice with Kenya currently at the apex of global athletics after topping the medals table at the last IAAF World Championships in Beijing in 2015.

This will be the second World Athletics Series event in Kenya after the successful IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa 10 years ago in 2007. With Uganda having also successfully hosted this year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships last March in Kampala, Africa remains grateful to the IAAF for allowing our continent to host the world’s athletics elite. Since the inaugural event in 1999 in Bydgoszcz, Poland, the IAAF World U18 Championships have nurtured great talents, with stars such as Usain Bolt, David Rudisha, Kirani James, Valerie Adams, Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon, Meseret Defar, Kenenisa Bekele, Allyson Felix and many others being discovered at these championships..

We are confident that many more stars will be born at these Championships in Nairobi from July 12 to 16 and go on to dominate global athletics in the years to come. Athletics Kenya continues to improve in global competitions, with six gold medals earned at last year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro where the final medal tally of 13 - six gold, six silver and one bronze – marked our nation’s most successful outing in our Olympics history. That all the Olympic medallists were from track and field is enough testimony that athletics remains the most successful sport in Kenya.

I would like, in a most special way, to thank the Government of Kenya, through His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, and our Patron the First Lady, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, who supported our bid to host these championships. They subsequently availed us of all the resources

needed to renovate the competition and training venues in Nairobi, along with upgrading the necessary infrastructure and enhancing security to allow for successful Championships.

I would also like to thank all the stakeholders, sponsors, partners, volunteers and Kenyans in general for supporting these Championships. The inter-ministerial team, headed by Interior Cabinet Secretary, Maj Gen Rtd. Joseph Nkaissery and his sports counterpart, Dr Hassan Wario, has been pivotal to this success. At Athletics Kenya, we feel humbled by this gesture and will continue working hard to ensure our young sportsmen and women enjoy facilities that will allow them to maximise their potential.

These Championships will leave a lasting legacy to Kenyan athletes, who now have additional world-class facilities for training and competition both at the Moi International Sports Centre and at Kenyatta University. Such facilities will allow us to nurture world-class talent that will represent our nation at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, and indeed the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and beyond. Finally, dear friends, in conjunction with the Kenya Tourism Board, the IAAF World U18 Championships 2017 Local Organising Committee invites you to make time in the course of your stay and sample some of our tourism sites, including Mombasa, Mt Kenya, Maasai Mara and the Nairobi National Park.

Your visit to Kenya will be incomplete if you don’t sample our attractions including the world famous “Big Five” Game Park, our beautiful beaches and historic mountains. I urge you to take advantage of your stay here to make these trips - including the scenic five-hour ride to Mombasa on the newly-launched Standard Gauge Railway and to experience as you do so our matchless fauna and flora.

I wish you a pleasant stay in Kenya. Karibu Nairobi!

Lt. Gen (RTD) Jackson TuweiChairman LOC

10 |

On behalf of the Kenya Government and the Sports fraternity, I welcome all delegations from around the World to these 10th and last International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Under 18 Championships being held here in Nairobi, Kenya. We know you have travelled thousands of kilometres from different countries - Karibuni Kenya.

Kenyans feel privileged to host the what used to be known as the IAAF World Youth Championships at a time when our track and field competitors are on top of the ‘Athletics World’. Kenya is a powerhouse in the world of athletics, having topped the medals table at the last IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China in 2015. For many years, Kenyans have been making their presence felt, trotting the globe, breaking world records or setting best times in events. We cannot hide our excitement that Kenyan athletes are some of the most active and most travelled across theworld. Having Kenyan athletes participating in an event is always a boost and a pedigree to the hosts. We wish to commend the IAAF for emphasising the development of the youth in sports. Kenyan Youth development strategy entails identifying Youths as they progress with their Primary School education.

It appears that for a long time to come Kenyans will continue ruling the ‘roads and tracks’ of long distance running. In the last two years, Kenyans have won almost 80% of city marathons around the world. Our athletes have become Kenya’s best Ambassadors around the world. The playing of our National Anthem when our athletes win at major events gives us a sense of belonging, patriotism and the urge to scale higher. Since the first IAAF World U18 Championships in 1999 in Poland, up to the ninth Championships in Cali, Colombia in 2015, Kenyans have been at the top of the Medal Table.

We highly recognize the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for the fight against doping in sports.

Kenya is committed to WADA’s programme through the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), which was established a year ago. I wish to thank the IAAF for choosing Kenya to host these World U18 Championships. We hope the IAAF will consider Kenya as a host for other events in future. We are proud to be a secure country. We feel greatly honoured with the IAAF presence here and more so for the overwhelming support and confidence bestowed on Kenya to stage this event. However, goals of this event would not have been met without the wholehearted support of His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Kenya.

H.E The President showed his enthusiasm for making this event a success when he agreed to have her Excellency the First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta to be the Patron of the World IAAF under 18 Youth Championships. We also wish to acknowledge the effort made by the Deputy President, H.E William Ruto, in ensuring that programmes of the event are up to date. All these arrangements and programmes would not have been successful without the many sacrifices and efforts made by the Local Organizing Committee, led by Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei and Mwangi Muthee. The Government also wishes to acknowledge the unswerving support from the NCG, Corporates, and individuals.

The media has played an important role in helping to realise this successful IAAF World event, helping us to demonstrate that we can achieve what may appear difficult. The media in turn has positively advertised this event. It is my pleasure to wish all participants and their officials the best of stays in Kenya.

May the best win. Karibuni sana

Hon Dr. Hassan Wario Arero, PhD, EGHCabinet Secretary Ministry of Sports, Culture & The Arts

MESSAGE FROM THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR SPORTS, CULTURE AND THE ARTS - HON. DR. HASSAN WARIO ARERO

| 11

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY FOR SPORTS, CULTURE AND THE ARTS - MR. PETER KABERIA

First of all, I wish to address those visiting Kenya for the first time and to welcome them to the source of so many great long-distance runners. To those visiting Kenya for the second time - welcome and carry on where you left off… When Kenyans sweep medals on the international scene, questions linger in the minds of many. They wonder what makes these Kenyans sparkle. By the time Kenya was attaining independence in 1963, Kenyans were already shining globally in long distance running. By the late 1950s, Kenyan women and men had already signalled their prowess in athletics. They did not stop, and to date they have left a huge mark on the global sporting arena. They are still global Kings and Queens of long distance running.

Kenyans have withered the might of world economic powerhouses and brought them down in major sporting events. It is not just in track and field events where they have reduced the might of these hugely economically powerful countries. Kenyans have gone beyond running and stamped their authority in other sports events. Of late, Kenya has become a force to reckon with in rugby, boxing, cricket, cycling, swimming and volleyball. Kenya’s sporting history resounds with names of high repute: Nyantika Maiyoro, Wilson Kiprugut Chumo, Kipchoge Keino, Amos Biwott, Naftali Temu, David Rudisha, Paul Ereng, Ezekiel Kemboi, Pamela Jelimo and Vivian Cheruiyot to name just but a few. Others that will remain in the annals of sports history include Philip Waruinge, Robert Wangila (RIP), Maurice Odumbe, Steve Tikolo, Humphrey Kayange, Collins Injera, Jane Wacu and Janet Wanja.

Lately, Kenya has stamped its authority in the English Premier League, where Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama, playing for Tottenham Hotspur, has proved to be one of the best midfielders in EPL. In swimming, the Dunford brothers, Jason and David, are global brands. It is almost certain that Kenya sports

supremacy on the world scene is on the ascendance in track and field events backed by a strong Sports Strategic development plan by the Government. Kenyan Sports Federations are operating smoothly like “well-oiled machines”. The Central Government in collaboration with County Governments has embarked on renovations and reconstructions of stadiums across the country. Presently, reconstruction of stadiums is underway in Eldoret, Nyeri, Marsabit, Makueni, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Elgeyo Marakwet and Kiambu among other counties.

We continue paying tribute to our athletes, who have shown no sign of relenting in global events. We can state with confidence that the Kenyan youths who are participating in this U18 Event will soon be all over the world winning races almost at will. Kenyans are glad to have more than 2000 sportspersons from diverse countries arriving courtesy of the 2017 IAAF World U18 Championships.

We are ready to host this event satisfactorily. The Government is well prepared for the event from the point of view of security, infrastructure, ground logistics and equipment. The privilege of Kenya hosting the IAAF World U18 Championships from July 12 to 16 at Moi International Sports Complex, Kasarani in Nairobi, gives Kenyans an opportunity to watch their sons and daughters conquer the world on their own soil. We wish the participants from the over 100 countries the best of luck in their competitions and assure them of unlimited hospitality and safety. It will be interesting for our guests if they find time to venture across our country to enjoy our tourist spots and experience our unique wildlife.

Karibuni Kenya

Amb Peter Kirimi Kaberia CBSPrincipal Secretary State Dept . of Sports DevelopmentMinistry of Sports, Culture and The Arts

12 |

President

Senior Vice President

Vice Presidents

Treasurer

Individual Members

Sebastian Coe (GBR)

Sergey Bubka (UKR)

Dahlan Al Hamad (QAT) Hamad Kalkaba Malboum (CMR) Alberto Juantorena Danger (CUB)

José Maria Odriozola (ESP)

Roberto Gesta De Melo (BRA), South America* Nawal El Moutawakel (MAR) Abby Hoffman (CAN)Anna Riccardi (ITA) Pauline Davis-Thompson (BAH) Geoff Gardner (NFI), Oceania* Sylvia Barlag (NED) Ahmad Al Kamali (UAE) Frank Fredericks (NAM) Bernard Amsalem (FRA) Zhaocai Du (CHN) Victor Lopez (PUR), NACAC* Stephanie Hightower (USA) Hiroshi Yokokawa (JPN) Antti Pihlakoski (FIN) Mikhail Butov (RUS) Adille Sumariwalla (IND) Nawaf Al Saud (KSA) Svein Arne Hansen (NOR), Europe* David Okeyo (KEN), Africa* Karim Ibrahim (MAS), Asia*

*Area Group Representatives

IAAF COUNCIL

| 13

Organisational Delegate

Technical Delegates

M&A/D Delegate

Press

Television

Statistician

Announcer -English

Photo Finish Judge

International Starter

Jury of Appeal

International Technical Officials

International Race Walking Judges

Frank Fredericks (NAM)

Sylvia Barlag (NED) Jose Luis De Carlos (ESP)

Dr. Stéphane Bermon (FRA)

Olaf Brockmann (AUT) Frederic Sanchez (FRA)

Carlos Canet (ESP)

Marton Gyulai (HUN)

Ville Aho (FIN)

Ubiratan Martins (BRA)

Vivian Gungaram (MRI)Jose Maria Odriozola (ESP) Beatrice Ayikoru (UGA)

Frederico Nantes (BRA) - ChiefGiovanni Cardona (COL) Yrjö Kelha (FIN) Bob Podkaminer (USA) Niels Van Der Aar (NED) Suren Ayadassen (MRI) Peter De Jager (RSA) Vadim Nigmatov (TJK)

Jose Julio Barbosa Dias (POR) - ChiefZoe Eastwood-Bryson (AUS) Wang Tak Fung (HKG) Moonkess Jola (MRI) Hans Van Der Knaap (NED)Jean Pierre Dahm (FRA)

IAAF COMPETITION DELEGATES

14 |

LOC GAZZETTEDMEMBERS/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

| 15

LOC GAZZETTED MEMBERS

16 |

T ECHNO LOGY

with

| 17

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KENYA

Early Humans in Kenya:

Fossils found in East Africa suggest that protohumans roamed the area more than 20 million years ago. Recent finds near Kenya’s Lake Turkana indicate that hominids lived in the area 2.6 million years ago.

Pre-Colonial History

Around 2000 BC, Cushitic-speaking people from northern Africa settled in the part of East Africa that is now Kenya. By the 1st Century AD, the Kenyan coast was frequented by Arab traders who, due to Kenya’s proximity to the Arabian Peninsula, established Arab and Persian colonies there. The Nilotic and Bantu people also moved into the region during the first millennium AD and settled inland.

The Europeans

Evolving from a mixture of Bantu and Arabic, the Swahili language then developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different peoples. When the Portuguese arrived in 1498 the Arab dominance on the coast was clipped, as the Port of Mombasa became an important re-supply stop for ships bound for the Far East. The Portuguese gave way in turn to Islamic control under the Imam of Oman in the 1600s until another European influence came along, this time from the United Kingdom during the 19th century

Colonial History

The roots of the colonial history of Kenya go back to the Berlin Conference in 1885, when East Africa was

first divided into territories of influence by the European powers. The British Government founded the East African Protectorate in 1895 and, soon after, opened the fertile highlands to white settlers. Even before it was officially declared a British colony in 1920, these settlers were allowed a voice in government, while the Africans and the Asians were banned from direct political participation until 1944. During this period thousands of Indians were brought into Kenya to work on building the Kenya Uganda Railway Line and subsequently settled there, whilst inviting many of their kith and kin who were mainly traders from India to join them.

Resistance to Colonialism -- the Mau Mau

In 1942, members of the Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba tribes took an oath of unity and secrecy to fight for freedom from British rule. The Mau Mau Movement began with that oath and Kenya embarked on its long hard road to National Sovereignty. In 1953, Jomo Kenyatta was charged with directing the Mau Mau and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Another freedom fighter. Dedan Kimathi, was arrested in 1956 for his role in the Mau Mau uprising as one of the leaders of the struggle for independence and was subsequently hanged by the colonialists. Kenya was put under a state of emergency from October 1952 to December 1959, due to the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule, and thousands of Kenyans were incarcerated in detention camps. During this period, African participation in the political process increased rapidly and in 1954 all three races (European, Asian and African) were admitted into the Kenya Legislative Council on a representative basis.

Kenya Achieves Independence

In 1957, the first direct elections for Africans to the Legislative Council took place and those elected increased the people’s agitation for Jomo Kenyatta’s release from detention. In 1962 Kenyatta was released to become Kenya’s first Prime Minister, when Kenya finally gained independence on December 12, 1963. The following year, Kenya became a Republic with Kenyatta as its first President. In the same year Kenya joined the British Commonwealth.

The First Cabinet of Kenya

18 |

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KENYAThe Road To Kenyatta’s One Party State

In 1966, a small but significant leftist opposition party, the Kenya People’s Union (KPU), was formed by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a former Vice President and Luo elder. KPU was banned shortly thereafter and its leader arrested in 1969 and Kenya became a “de facto” single-party state. Following Kenyatta’s death in August 1978, Vice President Daniel Arap Moi succeeded him as Kenya’s second President.

The Moi Era

In June 1982, Kenya was officially declared a one-party state by the National Assembly and the constitution was amended accordingly. Parliamentary elections were held in September 1983 under a single party for the first time and the 1988 elections reinforced the one-party system. However, in December 1991, Parliament annulled the one-party section of the constitution. A diversity of new parties was formed in early 1992 and in December of that year multi-party democracy was restored and elections were held with several parties participating. Because of divisions in the opposition, Moi was re-elected for another five-year term, and his KANU party retained a majority in the legislature. Due to parliamentary reforms in November 1997, political rights were expanded, which led to an explosion in the number of political parties. Again, Moi won re-election as President in the December 1997 elections, because of a divided opposition. KANU won 113 out of 222 parliamentary seats, but, because of defections, had to depend on the support of minor parties to forge a working majority.President Mwai Kibaki

In October 2002, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) was formed, emerging from a unification of opposition parties together with a faction, which broke away from KANU. Mwai Kibaki, the NARC candidate, was elected as the country’s third President in December 2002. President Kibaki received 62 percent of the vote, and NARC garnered 130 out of 222 parliamentary seats (59 percent of seats). During Kibaki’s first time in office, democratic space was opened up even more and coalition politics took root.

The Grand Coalition

Kenya held its Tenth General Election on the 27th of December 2007. A dispute that followed the announcement of the result by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) unfortunately degenerated into an unprecedented seven-week long spate of violence in some parts of the country, leading to loss of lives, dislocation of some citizens, destruction of property and general disruption of social and economic life. The former Secretary General of the United Nations His Excellency Mr. Koffi Annan with the assistance of eminent persons from across the African continent including H.E. President Jakaya Kikwete, Chairman of the African Union and President of Tanzania, H.E. Mrs. Graca Machel, His Excellency Mr. Benjamin Mkapa and His Excellency Mr. Joachim Chisano, helped broker a reconciliation between H.E. President Mwai Kibaki and his main contender Hon. Raila Odinga leading to the signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Agreement, thus paving the way for the restoration of peace and security in the country and a return to normalcy in the affected regions. The

Agreement included a fundamental change in the Government structure to introduce the post of Prime Minister, with two Deputy Premiers and the formation of a Grand Coalition between the President’s party of National Unity and Hon. Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement Party.

Following the agreement, H.E. the President and the Prime Minister Designate appointed a National Accord Implementation Committee to prepare a programme of action for the Grand Coalition Government (GCG), synchronize the manifestos of the coalition parties and identify short, medium and long term policies for implementation by the GCG. The Committee established a reconciliation and building programme covering the entire country with activities cascaded down to all districts and constituencies and involved the private sector, civil society, media, community-based organizations, sports personalities and faith-based organizations in the National Emergency Recovery Strategy.

In parallel to this, three important bodies were established: The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission, The Commission of Enquiry on Post-Election Violence and Independent Review Committee on the 2007 Elections. Through these Bodies truth, reconciliation and healing will be brought to Kenya and its people. The parties also agreed on a process and roadmap for comprehensive constitutional reform, which will strengthen the institutions of Governance and address the long term differences that contributed to the violence.

Life in Kenya settled down quickly with the country coming out stronger and more united than before as President Mwai Kibaki began his second and final term in office. H.E. Kibaki and Rt Hon Raila’s Coalition government reigned until 2013 when former Deputy PM, Uhuru Kenyatta and former Agriculture and Higher Education Minister William Ruto formed and led the Jubilee Alliance to victory in the elections. - GoK Website

The Norfolk Hotel Nairobi

| 19

20 |

NAIROBI CITY IN THE SUN

Nairobi is a large, bustling, cosmopolitan city with excellent restaurants, cafes, shops, boutique hotels and modern hotels. The largest and most important financial, communication and business centre of East and Central Africa, the city bristles with modern glass offices, a bustling Central Business District, as well as elegant gardens, leafy suburbs and a perfect climate. A favourite posting for the international expat commu-nity, complete with world class schools and compe-tent medical centres.

The name “Nairobi” comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyrobi, which translates to “cold water”. The phrase is also the Maasai name of the Nairobi river, which in turn lent its name to the city. Nairobi is pop-ularly known as the “Green City in the Sun” and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs.Founded by the British in 1899 as a simple rail depot on the railway linking Mombasa to Uganda, the town quickly grew to become the capital of British East Afri-ca in 1907, and eventually the capital of a free Kenyan republic in 1963. During Kenya’s colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony’s coffee, tea and

sisal industry. The city lies on the Nairobi River, at an elevation of 1795 m above sea-level.Nairobi is now one of the most prominent cities in Af-rica both politically, financially and culturally. Home to thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 100 major international companies and organisations, including the global Head Offices of the United Na-tions Environment Programme (UNEP) and the main co-ordinating and headquarters for the UN in Africa & Middle East, the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON). The Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) is one of the largest in Africa and the second oldest exchange on the continent. It is Africa’s fourth largest exchange in terms of trading volume and capable of making 10 million trades a day.On most safari itineraries guests will be in Nairobi for at least one meal, either on arrival or just before their departing international flight, but depending on international flight timings, some guests may have a bit more time. Here is some information we have col-lected, on the best places to stay in Nairobi, things to see, and our favourite places to eat. Enjoy! - By Cheli & Peacock Safaris

| 21

22 |

NAIROBI CITY ATTRACTIONSKenya is a country in East Africa with coastline on the Indian Ocean. It encompasses savannah, lakelands, the dramatic Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands. It’s also home to wildlife such aslions, elephants and rhinos. From Nairobi, the capital, safaris visit the Maasai Mara Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, offering views of Tanzania’s 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro.

1. National MuseumThe Nairobi National Museum was founded in 1920, and established at its present location in 1929. The Museum aims to interpret Kenya’s rich heritage and offers a one-stop shop for visitors to sample the country’s rich heritage both for education and leisure. It is open on all 365 days throughout the year from 0830hrs -1730hrs.2. Railway MuseumThe Nairobi Railway Museum was established in 1971 to preserve and display the relics and records of the railways of East Africa and is located adjacent to Nairobi railway sta-tion. The museum’s collection of locomotives is increasing, with the addition of some early diesel locomotives and ex-amples of passenger coaches.

3. Karen BlixenThe Karen Blixen Museum, located 10 km outside of Nairo-bi, is the former African home of Danish author Karen Blix-en, famous for her book Out of Africa, later made into a film starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, which chronicles life at the estate.

4. Giraffe CentreThe Giraffe Centre was started by Jock Leslie-Melville, the Kenyan grandson of a Scottish Earl, when he and his wife Betty captured a baby giraffe to start a programme of breed-ing giraffe in captivity at their home in Langata – home of the present centre. It is located at Karen, approximately five kilometres from the centre of Nairobi.5. Karura ForestKarura Forest is an urban forest in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The forest was gazetted in 1932 and is managed by the Kenya Forest Service in conjunction with the Friends

of Karura Forest. Features in the forest include a water-fall, bamboo forest, marshland, Mau Mau caves and an old church. The first trail, which is four kilometres long and con-nects Limuru Road with Old Kiambu Road, was opened in May 2009.6. Ngong HillsThe Ngong Hills are about 22km southwest of the city, mak-ing them a very popular weekend destination for visitors. The hike up Ngong Hills starts from Ngong town at the northern foot of the hills 1961m above sea level, and tra-verses the whole range to the southern end at Kona Baridi. This takes about four to five hours to complete, depending on fitness levels

7. David Sheldrick Trust Elephant Orphan CentreDame Daphne established the Trust in honour of her late husband David Sheldrick, the founding warden of the Tsa-vo National Parks, and a pioneer conservationist in Ken-ya. The orphanage caters for the welfare of orphaned el-ephants and rhinos which are raised in the sanctuary and eventually released back to the wild.8. Blue Sky Tours In Diamond Plaza – Indoor Rock ClimbingYou don’t have to go out into the wild to enjoy some rock climbing - thanks to Blue Sky’s indoor rock climbing facil-ity located in the Diamond plaza. Whether you’re a pro or an amateur out to try something new there’s something for everyone.9. Panari Sky Centre Ice SkatingYou’ve seen it in movies and probably want to try it out. Panari sky centre offers you the opportunity to turn your dreams of ice skating into reality. An hour in the Ice Rink will cost about 500 Kenya shillings for kids and 700 for adults respectively and boots are provided on arrival.10. Nairobi ArboretumNairobi Arboretum was established in 1907 by Mr Ba-tiscombe, then Deputy Conservator of Forests, to try out introduced forestry trees for Kenya. It is located along State House Road in Kilimani. The Arboretum occupies 30 hect-ares, holds over 350 tree species and offers a great space for walks, picnics and events.

11. Bomas of KenyaThe Bomas of Kenya offer you a chance to get an insight into the cultures of some of Kenya’s tribes with tribal villages and interactions. 12. Uhuru GardensUhuru Gardens form the largest memorial park in Kenya. The inaugural ceremony for Kenya’s first president, Presi-dent Jomo Kenyatta, was conducted at this park on 12 De-cember 1963 when Kenya gained its independence.

| 23

www.eurovision.net

Proud media rights and distribution partner of the IAAF World Championships London 2017

24 |

13. GP KartingIf you love speed and racing then step away from the con-sole and get yourself to GP karting in Langata. The venue is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 9am and 6pm. 14. Village MarketThe Village Market is located in the Gigiri and is one of Ken-ya’s largest shopping, recreation and entertainment complex-es, housing over 150 stores outlets. There are several outlets that specialize in African artefacts and other Kenyan crafts.

15. Mamba VillageNairobi Mamba Village is a sanctuary for crocodiles located 12 km south of Nairobi City. The farm also houses ostrich and is a popular destination for tourists and students. The best time to visit is during crocodiles’ feeding time.16. Paintball Fury LimitedPaintball Fury Limited is located in Karen and Langata and offers you the chance to enjoy paintball, which simulates armed combat with teams fighting to possess and advance a flag to the opponent’s end, without being “shot”. Protective gear such as overalls, headgear and a back-and-chest protector are provided once you purchase 100 paintballs (minimum) for 1000 Kenya shillings.

17. Maasai Ostrich FarmThe Maasai Ostrich Farm is located about 45 km south of Nairobi. You will not only enjoy a taste of ostrich meat but you will also get a chance to ride on an ostrich. 18. Paradise LostParadise Lost is a beautiful oasis in the middle of a coffee farm close to Kiambu Town, about 10km from Nairobi. It is one of very few places close to Nairobi that offers a myriad of attractions and activities for the whole family. The most popular attraction at Paradise Lost is a labyrinth of caves eroded by the waters of the nearby Gichi River, with their entrance screened by a spectacular waterfall. These caves are estimated to be 2.5 million years old, based on obsidian rock artefacts from the late Stone Age that were discovered inside. Artificial lighting has been installed a few metres into the caves up to a large cavern within.19. August Memorial ParkThe August 7th Memorial Park is located at the 1998 bomb blast scene along Haile Selassie Avenue. It is dedicated to those who lost their lives and contains a notice board listing their names.20. Kenya National ArchivesThe Kenya National Archives is situated at the edge of the central business district in downtown Nairobi along Moi Avenue next to the Ambassador Hotel. It was established in 1965 and holds 40,000 volumes. It also houses the Murumbi Gallery, which is currently the largest Pan-African art gallery

in Africa and contains ancient art collections from different regions and communities of Africa.gions and communities of Africa.

21. Kenyatta International Convention CentreThe Kenyatta International Conference Centre is an interna-tionally renowned venue for conferences, meetings, exhibi-tions and special events and among the tallest buildings in Nairobi. For Ksh. 200 shillings you can go to the rooftop and enjoy a marvellous and exclusive view of the city.

22. Art CentresNairobi has some of the continent’s most renowned art cen-tres such as the Kuona Trust and the Go Down arts centre where you get to interact and see some of the art worked completed and being worked on by Kenyan artists.23. Oloolua Nature TrailThe National Museums of Kenya established the 5km long Oloolua Nature Trail in part of the Oloolua forest, in Karen, providing a quiet peaceful place for city residents looking to escape the city hustle and bustle. The trail is open every day from 9am to 6pm.24. Nairobi National ParkNairobi National Park is a unique ecosystem by being the only protected area in the world close to a capital city. The park is located only seven km from Nairobi city centre. Ma-jor wildlife attractions are the Black Rhino, lions, leopards, cheetah, hyena, buffaloes, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, elands and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.25. ParliamentThe Parliament building is the symbol of and houses the Kenyan legislature. It represents the history of Kenya’s gov-ernance, thus making it one of the top places to visit while in the city.

27. Shopping MallsTwo Rivers Mall- Runda TRM- Thika RoadGarden City Mall- Thika Road The Hub – Karen Westgate Mall- Westlands Prestige Plaza – Ngong RoadThe Junction - Ngong Road - Mar-

NAIROBI CITY ATTRACTIONS

| 25OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS London 2017

2-phase Vulcanization™ wear layer thatprovides dynamic elasticity. Enhanced slip

resistance and traction thanks to the 3DOmni-Directional Tessellation™. Diamond Air-Cell

Patented Technology that converts the impact force into responsive cushioning.

Mondotrack/WS is designed to maximize humanspeed to unprecedented levels.

www.mondotrack.com

MONDOTRACK/WS2-Phase Vulcanization™ wear layer3D Omni-Directional Tessellation™ Diamond Air-Cell Patented TechnologY

THE SHORTEST PATHBETWEEN AMBITIONAND RESULTS.

26 |

A LITTLE SWAHILI FOR OUR U18 GUESTS

JAMBO is one of the most common words you will hear spoken throughout Kenya. This is the simplest Swahili greeting, and is often the first word learned by visitors to Kenya. Swahili (locally referred to as Kiswa-hili) is Kenya’s national language.Swahili originated on the East African coast, as a trade language used by both Arabs and coastal tribes.The language incorporated elements of both classi-cal Arabic and Bantu dialects, and became the moth-er tongue of the Swahili people who themselves rose from the inter-marriage of Arab and African cultures.The word Swahili itself came from the Arabic for ‘coast’ Sahel. But the language became a pervasive influ-ence, and a regional lingua franca, becoming widely used throughout Kenya and Tanzania. Today, the language is also used in regions of Ethi-opia, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Congo and Zambia, and is the most widely spoken African language. In Kenya, most people generally speak a tribal language at home, use Swahili as an everyday language, and English for business.Swahili is a relatively simple language, being high-ly phonetic with a rigid grammar. The only difficulty in learning Swahili comes from the extensive use of prefixes, suffixes and infixes, and a class system for nouns.Coastal Swahili remains the most pure, and the Island of Zanzibar is considered the home of the language. The further away from the coast that you travel, the less sophisticated the language generally becomes, and grammar is slightly more flexible. Nairobi has now become the home of Sheng, a fashionable Creole of Swahili, Kikuyu, English and slang.Still, even a little Swahili goes a long way in Kenya. It is worth learning a little, and most Kenyans are thrilled to hear visitors attempt to use any Swahili at all.

The following guide will let you try out some basic Swahili:

Useful GreetingsJambo or Hujambo - Hello, good day, how are you? Jambo or Sijambo - I am fine (the response)Habari?(literally “news?”) - How are things? Nzuri - Fine, good, terrificHodi! - Hello? Anyone in? (said on knocking or entering)Karibu - Come in, or Welcome

Kwaheri/ ni - Goodbye to one/ manyAsante/ ni - Thank you to one/ manySana - Very (a common emphasis)Bwana - Mister, the equivalent of monsieur in FrenchMama - Mother or Mom/ Respect for older ladyKijana - Youth, teenager (pl, vijana)Mtoto - Child, kid (pl, watoto)Unaitwaje? - What’s your name?

BasicsJina langu ni/ Ninaitwa - My name is / I am called Unatoka wapi? - Where are you from? Unakaa wapi - Where are you staying? Ninatoka - I am from Ninaishi - I am staying (at / in). Tutaonana - See you ( Lit. “We shall meet”)Ndio - Yes (Lit. it is so)Hapana - No Sielewi - I don’t understand Sisemi Kiswahili, lakini - I don’t speak Swahili but - Unasemaje kwa Kiswahili - How do you say in Swa-hili?Sema tena? (Say it again) - Could you repeat that? Sema pole pole - Speak slowly Sijui - I don’t know Wapi? - Where? Hapa - Here Lini? When?Sasa - Now Hivi karibuni - Soon Kwa nini? - Why? Kwa sababu - Because Nani? - Who? Nini? - What? Gani? - Which? Kweli - True Na - And/With Au - Or Siyo? - Isn’t it?

Daily NeedsNaweza Kukaa wapi? - Where can I stay? Naweza kukaa hapa? - Can I stay here? Chumba/vyumba - Room/s Bed/s KChoo, Bafu - Toilet, Bathroom

Fort Jesus, Mombasa - Photo Credits Wolfgang Seifarth: Wikimedia Commons

| 27

A LITTLE SWAHILI FOR OUR U18 GUESTSMaji - Water Nina njaa - I’m hungry Nina kiu - I’m thirsty Iko? or Kuna? - Is there any? Ndio Iko - Yes there is Hakuna - No there isn’t any Ngapi? - How much? Pesa - Money Bei gani? - What price? Ni Pesa Ngapi? - How much does it cost? Nataka - I want Sitaki - I don’t want Nipe/Niletee - Give me/Bring me (can I have?) Tena - Again Tosha/basi - Enough Ni Ghali - It’s Expensive Ni Rahisi it’s Cheap (or it’s easy) Duka - Shop Benki - Bank Hoteli - Café, Restaurant Simu - Telephone Sigara - Cigarettes Mimi mgonjwa - I’m ill Daktari - Doctor Hospitali - Hospital Polisi - Police

Travel And DirectionsBasi - Bus Gari - CarTeksi - Taxi Baiskeli - Bicycle Gari ya moshi - Train Ndege - Plane Njia - Road

Pole pole - Slowly Haraka - Fast, quickly Ngoja! - Wait! Simama! - Stop! Naenda - I’m going to Twende - Let’s goNataka kushuka hapa - I want to get off hereTime Calendar and NumbersSaa ngapi - What time is it? Dakika - Minutes Mapema - Early Jana - Yesterday Leo - Today Kesho - Tomorrow Mchana - Day time Usiku - Night time Asubuhi - Morning Jumatatu - Monday Jumanne - Tuesday Jumatano - Wednesday Alhamisi - Thursday Ijumaa - Friday Jumamosi - Saturday Jumapili - Sunday

1 - Moja2 - Mbili3 - Tatu4 - Nne5 - Tano6 - Sita7 - Saba8 - Nane9 - Tisa10 - Kumi - Nzovu Fondo

Dhow race at Lamu (Kenya) during the Mawlid festival - Pihoto Credits Frédéric Ducarme : Wikimedia Commons

28 |

NAIROBI CITY MAP

THE NAIROBI SKYLINE

| 29

HISTORY OF THE IAAF WORLD U18 CHAMPIONSHIPSThe IAAF World U18 Championships will this year mark its 10th edition when the biennial event is held in the Ken-yan capital of Nairobi. It will also be the final edition of the Championships – first established as the IAAF World Youth Championships - as the IAAF will move its focus for the under-18 age group on to continental competitions.

The IAAF World U18 Championships has proved to be a crucial stepping stone in the development of many of our sport’s stars. At the first edition of the Championships in 1999, held in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz, talented teen-agers such as Australia’s Jana Pittman, Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell, France’s Ladji Doucouré, Hungary’s Krisztian Pars and Kenya’s Stephen Cherono first came to international attention when they won gold medals. All have since gone on to win at the Olym-pic Games or IAAF World Championships, and in some cases, both. Members of this group subsequently became household names in their own countries and gained wider recognition beyond their national boundaries with not only specialist athletics fans, but often with the general public as well. Winners from the following two Championships are also now in their early 30s and many have already made a big impact as well. US sprinter Allyson Felix and New Zea-land shot putter Valerie Adams were among the winners in 2001 while Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt lit up the 2003 edition.

Bolt had the same effect on his rivals back then that he had on his opponents at the past four IAAF World Champion-ships and three Olympic Games, winning the 2003 World Youth 200m title by more than half a second in a Champion-ship record of 20.40. “The World Youths were a big part of my education as an athlete,” said Bolt. “They were in Can-ada and it was the first time I’d raced outside of the Carib-bean. I remember I went there feeling confident about what I could do on the track, but it was all those other things, like food and a being in a strange city, that made me think ‘It’s a really big world out there’.”

Names from 2005 onwards that leap out of the list of winners include: Ekaterini Stefanidi, Dani Samuels (2005); David Storl, Christian Taylor, Darya Klishina (2007); Isiah Koech, Kirani James, Mercy Cherono, Katrina Johnson-Thompson (2009); Conseslus Kipruto, Ajee Wilson, Faith Kipyegon (2011); and Yomif Kejelcha (2013). One thing is certain: the IAAF World U18 Championships provides a vision of the future personalities and top performers of the sport. The geographical spread of the origins of the past winners also gives a sense of the global appeal of the championships and the sport’s importance to developing generations around the world. This was the intention of former IAAF President

Primo Nebiolo, the moving force behind the establishment of the championships. “I personally campaigned hard for this new addition to the World Athletics Series because we must fight harder than ever to gain the attention of young people today,” said Nebiolo in 1999, just ahead of the first Championships.

“The IAAF World Youth Championships is not just another athletics competition; it is an opportunity for youngsters to gain valuable experience, to improve personal bests and to build friendly relationships with their rivals from every cor-ner of the world,” he added. Even though 1999 is the date in the history books marking the first time that the IAAF World Youth Championships was held, its genesis can be traced back to several years before. Nebiolo, who witnessed first-hand his brainchild coming to fruition before sadly passing away later that year, had campaigned since the mid-1990s for such a Championship at a younger age group below the IAAF World Junior Championships, which had been going strong since 1986. “The IAAF is one of the few internation-al sports federations which does not organise world-level competition for athletes younger than juniors,” he said in 1996, inspired in particular by the international football tour-naments for younger age-group players.

The IAAF Council in March 1997 put forward a proposal to the IAAF Congress that was being held later that year, before the IAAF World Championships in Athens, for such a Championship to be established. Congress then gave its seal of approval to an event for under-18 athletes. In March 1998, the bid by Bydgoszcz to become the first host was accepted by the IAAF Council. Completing the gestation cycle, just after 17:30 on Friday 16 July 1999, Ladji Dou-couré took just 13.26 to go over 10 barriers and win the boys’ 110m hurdles gold medal and be crowned the first ever World Youth champion. “Whatever, I have done since then, winning that gold medal will always have a special place in my heart,” said the Frenchman.

After Bydgoszcz staged the inaugural championships, sub-sequent hosts have been: 2001 – Debrecen (Hungary), 2003 – Sherbrooke (Canada), 2005 – Marrakech (Moroc-co), 2007 – Ostrava (Czech Republic), 2009 – Brixen (It-aly), 2011 – Lille (France), 2013 – Donetsk (Ukraine) and 2015 – Cali (Colombia). The success of the Championships can be gauged by the fact that it started off as a three-day affair, with 1055 boys and girls from 131 of the IAAF mem-ber federations competing. The Championships have since grown to be a five-day event with record numbers being set of 1407 athletes in action at the 2013 edition and 177 nations taking part in 2005.

Edition

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

Year

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

City

Bydgoszcz

Debrecen

Sherbrooke

Marrakech

Ostrava

Brixen

Lille

Donetsk

Cali

Nairobi

Country

Poland

Hungary

Canada

Morocco

CzechRepublic

Italy

France

Ukraine

Colombia

Kenya

Date

16-I8

July12-15July9-13 July13-17July 11-15July 8-12July

6-10July10-14July

15-19July

12-16July

Venue

Zdzislaw KrzyszkorviakStadiumGvuiai Istvan AtletikaiStadionUnirersite de SherbrookeStadiumStade Sidi-Youssef-BenAll (fr)

Mestsky stadion

Raiffeisen Arena diBressanone (pl)

Stadium Lille Metropole

RSC Olimpiyskiy

Cali Olympic Stadium

Moi International SportsCentre

Kenya

United States

United States

United States

United States

Kenya

United States

Jamaica

United States

Top of the medaltable

30 |

CHAMPIONSHIP U18 RECORDS

Discipline Perf Wind Competitor DOB Country Venue Date

100 Metres 10.28 -0.4 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown

06 MAR 1999 JPN

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 15 JUL 2015

200 Metres 20.34 -0.4 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown

06 MAR 1999 JPN

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 19 JUL 2015

400 Metres 45.24 Kirani James 01 SEP 1992 GRN Bressanone 10 JUL 2009

800 Metres 1:44.08 Leonard Kirwa Kosencha

21 AUG 1994 KEN Lille 09 JUL 2011

1500 Metres 3:36.38 Kumari Taki 06 MAY 1999 KEN

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 17 JUL 2015

3000 Metres 7:40.10 William Malel Sitonik

01 MAR 1994 KEN Lille 10 JUL 2011

2000 Metres Steeplechase 5:19.99 Meresa Kahsay 23 MAY

1996 ETH Donetsk 12 JUL 2013

110m Hurdles (91.4cm) 13.13 -1.1 Jaheel Hyde 02 FEB

1997 JAM Donetsk 12 JUL 2013

400m hurdles (84.0cm) 49.01 William Wynne 30 JAN

1990 USA Ostrava 15 JUL 2007

High Jump 2.27 Haiqiang Huang 8 FEB 1988 CHN

Marrakech (Sidi Youssef Ben Ali) 16 JUL 2005

Pole Vault 5.30 Vladyslav Malykhin

15 JAN 1998 UKR

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 19 JUL 2015

Pole Vault 5.30 Armand Duplantis

10 NOV 1999 SWE

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 19 JUL 2015

Long Jump 8.05 +0.5 Maykel Massó 08 MAY 1999 CUB

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 16 JUL 2015

Triple Jump 16.63 +1.4 Héctor Dairo Fuentes

19 MAY 1988 CUB

Marrakech (Sidi Youssef Ben Ali) 16 JUL 2005

Triple Jump 16.63 +1.8 Lázaro Martínez 03 NOV 1997 CUB Donetsk 13 JUL 2013

Shot Put (5kg) 24.35 Jacko Gill 20 DEC 1994 NZL Lille 07 JUL 2011

Discus Throw (1.500kg) 70.67

Mykyta Nesterenko

15 APR 1991 UKR Ostrava 13 JUL 2007

Hammer Throw (5kg) 84.91 Hlib Piskunov 25 NOV

1998 UKR Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 17 JUL 2015

Javelin Throw (700g) 83.16 Morné Moolman 1 SEP

1994 RSA Lille 09 JUL 2011

Octathlon Boys 6491 Jake Stein 17 JAN 1994 AUS Lille 07 JUL 2011

Decathlon Boys 8002 Niklas Kaul 11 FEB 1998 GER

Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 16 JUL 2015

10,000 Metres Race Walk 40:51.31 Pavel Parshin 02 JAN

1994 RUS Lille 09 JUL 2011

Medley Relay 1:49.23 Jamaica U18 JAM Donetsk 14 JUL 2013

| 31

U18 – WORLD BEST PERFOMANCES- MEN

Maykel Demetrio Masso of Cuba in action during the Boys Long Jump Final on day two of the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015 on July 16, 2015 at the Pascual Guerrero Olympic Stadium in Cali, Colombia. ©Getty Images for IAAF

32 |

DISCIPLINE PERF WIND COMPETITOR DOB COUNTRY VENUE DATE

100 Metres 10.98 +2.0 Candace Hill 11 FEB 1999 USA Shoreline, WA 20 JUN 2015

200 Metres 22.43 -0.7 Candace Hill 11 FEB 1999 USA Cali (Pascual Guerrero) 19 JUL 2015

400 Metres 50.01 Jing Li 14 FEB 1980 CHN Shanghai 8 OCT 1997

800 Metres 1:57.18 Yuan Wang 8 APR 1976 CHN Beijing (NOCAS) 08 SEP 1993

1500 Metres 3:54.52 Ling Zhang 13 APR 1981 CHN Shanghai 18 OCT 1997

3000 Metres 8:36.45 Ningning Ma 20 SEP 1976 CHN Jinan 06 JUN 1993

2000 Metres Steeplechase 6:11.83 Korahubsh Itaa 28 FEB 1992 ETH Bressanone 10 JUL 2009

100m Hurdles (76.2cm) 12.94 0.0 Yanique Thompson 12 MAR 1996 JAM Donetsk 11 JUL 2013

400 Metres Hurdles 54.15 Sydney McLaughlin 07 AUG 1999 USA Eugene (Hayward Field), OR 10 JUL 2016

High Jump 1.96 Charmaine Gale-Weavers 27 FEB 1964 RSA Bloemfontein 04 APR 1981

High Jump 1.96 Olga Turchak 5 MAR 1967 URS Donetsk 07 SEP 1984

High Jump 1.96 Eleanor Patterson 22 MAY 1996 AUS Townsville 07 DEC 2013

High Jump 1.96 Vashti Cunningham 18 JAN 1998 USA Edmonton (Foote Field) 01 AUG 2015

Pole Vault 4.50 Lisa Gunnarsson 20 AUG 1999 SWE Pézenas 28 MAY 2016

Pole Vault 4.50 Lisa Gunnarsson 20 AUG 1999 SWE Angers 25 JUN 2016

Long Jump 6.91 +1.0 Heike Drechsler 16 DEC 1964 GDR Jena 09 AUG 1981

Triple Jump 14.57 +0.2 Qiuyan Huang 5 JAN 1980 CHN Shanghai 19 OCT 1997

Shot Put (3kg) 20.52 Corrie de Bruin 26 OCT 1976 NED Assen 13 JUN 1993

Discus Throw 65.86 Ilke Wyludda 28 MAR 1969 GDR Neubrandenburg (Jahn Sportpark) 01 AUG 1986

Hammer Throw (3kg) 76.04 Réka Gyurátz 31 MAY 1996 HUN Zalaegerszeg 23 JUN 2013

Javelin Throw (500g) 65.44 Marisleisys Duarthe 17 SEP 2000 CUB La Habana (Estadio Panamericano) 25 MAY 2017

Heptathlon Girls 6186 Alina Shukh 12 FEB 1999 UKR Tbilisi (New District Arena) 15 JUL 2016

5000 Metres Race Walk 20:28.05 Tatyana Kalmykova 10 JAN 1990 RUS Ostrava 12 JUL 2007

Medley Relay 2:03.42 Jamaica U18 JAM Lille 10 JUL 2011

U18 – WORLD BEST PERFOMANCES- WOMEN

Korahubsh Itaa of Ethiopia on her way to gold in the girl’s 2000m steeplechase final during day three of the IAAF World Youth Championships at the Bressanone Sports Complex on July 10, 2009 in Brixone Bressanone, Italy ©Getty Images for IAAF

| 33

COMPETITION TIMETABLE - NAIROBI,KENYA12 -16 JULY 2017DAY 1 a.m. - Wednesday, 12 July09:30 100m Dec B09:55 100m B R110:25 Long Jump Dec B AB10:40 Discus Throw G Q10:50 1500m B R111:20 400m G R111:40 Shot Put Dec B AB11:50 Long Jump B QAB12:05 400m B R1

DAY 1 p.m.- Wednesday, 12 July16:00 Opening Ceremony16:55 High Jump Dec B AB17:00 100m B SF17:25 Triple Jump B QAB17:30 Hammer Throw B QA17:40 800m B R118:15 Shot Put G Final18:25 400m Dec B18:35 Hammer Throw B QB18:45 100m G R119:20 100m B Final19:40 3000m G Final

DAY 2 a.m. - Thursday, 13 July09:30 110m H Dec B09:45 Shot Put B QAB09:50 3000m B R110:15 Discus Throw Dec B10:25 400m H G R111:05 800m G R111:35 Hammer Throw G QA11:50 Pole Vault Dec B AB12:20 110m H B R112:45 Hammer Throw G QB

DAY 2 p.m. - Thurday, 13 July16:10 Shot Put G MC16:15 100m B MC16:20 3000m G MC16:30 Javelin Throw Dec B16:35 Long Jump B Final16:40 400m H B R117:10 100m G SF17:30 Shot Put B Final17:40 800m B SF17:55 Javelin Throw B Final18:15 400m G F18:45 400m B SF19:10 1500m Dec B Final19:25 Long Jump B MC19:30 Shot Put B MC19:40 100m G Final

DAY 3 a.m. - Friday, 14 July09:30 100m H Hep G09:40 Triple Jump G QAB10:00 2000m SC B R110:10 Discus Throw B QA10:25 High Jump Hep G AB10:40 200m G R111:20 Discus Throw B QB11:25 200m B R1

DAY 3 p.m. - Friday, 14 July16:10 Decathlon B MC16:15 Javelin Throw B MC16:20 100m G MC16:30 Hammer Throw B Final16:35 Shot Put Hep G AB16:40 110m H B SF17:05 Triple Jump B Final17:10 800m G SF17:30 High Jump G Final17:45 200m Hep G18:05 Hammer Throw B MC18:16 1500m B Final18:25 Discus Throw G Final18:35 2000m SC G Final18:55 400m G Final19:00 1500m B MC19:10 400m B Final19:15 Triple Jump B MC19:35 110m H B Final19:40 2000m SC G MC

34 | | 34

COMPETITION TIMETABLE - NAIROBI,KENYA12 -16 JULY 2017DAY 4 a.m. - Saturday, 15 July09:30 Javelin Throw G QA09:35 10,000m Race Walk B Final10:05 Long Jump Hep G AB10:35 10,000m Race Walk B MC10:40 Javelin Throw G QB10:45 5000m Race Walk G Final10:50 High Jump B Final11:25 5000m Race Walk G MC11:35 100m H G R112:03 High Jump G MC12:05 Javelin Throw Hep G12:08 Discus Throw G MC12:20 4 x 400m Mixed R R112:45 400m G MC12:50 400m B MC

DAY 4 p.m. - Saturday, 15 July16:22 110m H B MC16:30 Hammer Throw G Final16:50 Triple Jump G Final17:02 High Jump B MC17:10 200m G SF17:30 Pole Vault G Final17:35 200m B SF18:00 400m H G Final18:15 400m H B Final18:21 Discus Throw B Final18:35 1500m G Final18:50 400m H G MC18:55 400m H B MC19:10 800m Hep G Final19:18 Hammer Throw G MC19:23 Pole Vault G MC19:38 800m B Final19:42 1500m G MC19:47 Triple Jump G MC

DAY 5 a.m. - Sunday, 16 July DAY 5 p.m. - Sunday, 16 July14:42 Heptathlon G MC14:47 Discus Throw B MC14:52 800m B MC15:00 Pole Vault B Final15:10 Javelin Throw G Final15:25 200m G Final15:35 Long Jump G Final15:40 200m B Final15:45 200m G MC16:00 800m G Final16:05 200m B MC16:25 3000m B Final16:36 800m G MC16:41 Javelin Throw G MC16:52 100m H G Final16:55 3000m B MC17:10 2000m SC B Final17:20 100m H G MC17:25 Long Jump G MC17:36 4 x 400m Mixed R Final17:40 2000m SC B MC17:45 Pole Vault B MC17:50 4 x 400m Mixed R MC17:55 Closing Ceremony

| 35

2) Via Mobile Electronic Tickets (ONLY AVAILABLE IN KENYA)Go to the phone and dial a *384*110# codeThen follow the prompts where they will provide details such as name, type of ticket they want and number of tickets among other details.An SMS will then be sent with instructions on how to make the payments.Once payment is done using MPESA, Airtel Money or Eazzy Pay, A ticket number(s) is generated and sent to their phone.Visitors will then present the ticket numbers for validation at the venue entrance during the competitions and get physical tickets.

Buy Your Ticket to IAAF WU18 NAIROBI 20171) Buy Tickets Online, On Site at the venue or through Authorised Resellers

Up to 5th July 2017, tickets are being sold at a discounted rate of 10% of the normal rate below.

Ticket Type Description of Ticket Ticket Price

VVIP

VIP

Ordinary Tickets

Kshs 1000 (10 USD)

Kshs 500 (5 USD)

KSHS 200 ( 2 USD)

Located at 2nd Tier of the Stadium with a Unique vies of all stadium areas of interest with comfortable individual seats with access to premium Hospitality services

Located at 2nd Tier of the stadium ,Equipped with comfortable seats

Located at the 1st tier and 3nd Tier of the Stadium. 1st tier with Half seats and 3rd tier equipped with Spaced terraces. No individualised seats. Seats reserved on first come basis

STADIUM MAP & TICKET PRICES

36 |

Name Country Code1 Afghanistan Athletic Federation AFG2 Anguilla Amateur Athletic Association AIA3 Albanian Athletics Federation ALB4 Fédération Algérienne d'Athlétisme ALG5 Federacio Andorrana d'Atletisme AND6 Federacao Angolana de Atletismo ANG7 Athletic Association of Antigua & Barbuda ANT8 Confederacion Argentina de Atletismo ARG9 Armenian Athletic Federation ARM10 Arubaanse Atletiek Bond ARU11 American Samoa Track & Field Association ASA12 Athletics Australia AUS13 Osterreichischer Leichtathletik-Verband AUT14 Azerbaijan Athletics Federation AZE15 Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations BAH16 Bangladesh Athletic Federation BAN17 Athletics Association of Barbados BAR18 Fédération d'Athlétisme du Burundi BDI19 Ligue Royale Belge d'Athlétisme BEL20 Fédération Béninoise d'Athlétisme BEN21 Bermuda National Athletics Association BER22 Bhutan Amateur Athletic Federation BHU23 Athletic Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina BIH24 Belize Athletics Association BIZ25 Belarus Athletic Federation BLR26 Federacion Atletica de Bolivia BOL27 Botswana Athletics Association BOT28 Confederação Brasileira de Atletismo BRA29 Bahrain Athletics Association BRN30 Brunei Darussalam Athletics Federation BRU31 Bulgarian Athletic Federation BUL32 Fédération Burkinabe d'Athlétisme BUR33 Fédération Centrafricaine d'Athlétisme CAF34 Khmer Amateur Athletics Federation CAM35 Athletics Canada CAN36 Cayman Islands Athletic Association CAY37 Fédération Congolaise d'Athlétisme CGO38 Fédération Tchadienne d'Athlétisme CHA39 Federacion Atletica de Chile CHI40 Chinese Athletic Association CHN41 Fédération Ivoirienne d'Athlétisme CIV42 Fédération Camerounaise d'Athlétisme CMR43 Fédération d'Athlétisme du Congo COD44 Athletics Cook Islands Inc. COK45 Federacion Colombiana de Atletismo COL46 Fédération Comorienne d'Athlétisme COM

LIST OF IAAF MEMBER FEDERATIONS

| 37

Name Country Code47 Federação Caboverdiana de Atletismo CPV48 Federacion Costarricense de Atletismo CRC49 Croatian Athletics Federation CRO50 Federacion Cubana de Atletismo CUB51 The Amateur Athletic Association of Cyprus CYP52 Czech Athletic Federation CZE53 Dansk Atletik Forbund DEN54 Fédération Djiboutienne d'Athlétisme DJI55 Dominica Amateur Athletics Association DMA56 Federacion Dominicana de Asociaciones de Atletismo DOM57 Federacion Ecuatoriana de Atletismo ECU58 Egyptian Athletic Federation EGY59 Eritrean National Athletics Federation ERI60 Federacion Salvadoreña de Atletismo ESA61 Real Federacion Española de Atletismo ESP62 Estonian Athletic Association EST63 Ethiopian Athletic Federation ETH64 Athletics Fiji FIJ65 Suomen Urheiluliitto RY FIN66 Fédération Française d'Athlétisme FRA67 Federated States of Micronesia Athletic Association FSM68 Fédération Gabonaise d'Athlétisme GAB69 The Gambia Athletics Association GAM70 UK Athletics GBR71 Federacao de Atletismo da Guinea-Bissau GBS72 Athletic Federation of Georgia GEO73 Federacion Ecuatoguineana de Atletismo GEQ74 Deutscher Leichtathletik Verband GER75 Ghana Athletics Association GHA76 Gibraltar Amateur Athletic Association GIB77 Association Hellénique d'Athlétisme Amateur GRE78 Grenada Athletic Association GRN79 Federacion Nacional de Atletismo de Guatemala GUA80 Fédération Guinéenne d'Athlétisme GUI81 Guam Track and Field Association GUM82 Athletics Association of Guyana GUY83 Fédération Haitienne d'Athlétisme Amateur HAI84 Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association HKG85 FENHATLE HON86 Hungarian Athletics Association HUN87 Indonesian Athletics Federation INA88 Athletics Federation of India IND89 Athletic Federation of I.R Iran IRI90 Athletic Association of Ireland IRL91 Iraqi Athletics Federation IRQ92 Icelandic Athletic Federation ISL93 Israeli Athletic Association ISR

LIST OF IAAF MEMBER FEDERATIONS

38 |

Name Country Code94 Virgin Islands Track & Field Federation ISV95 Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera ITA96 British Virgin Islands Athletics Association IVB97 Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association JAM98 Jordan Athletics Federation JOR99 Japan Association of Athletics Federations JPN100 Athletic Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan KAZ101 Athletics Kenya KEN102 Athletics Federation of Kyrgyz Republic KGZ103 Kiribati Athletics Association KIR104 Korea Association of Athletics Federations KOR105 Kosovo Athletic Federation KOS106 Saudi Arabian Athletics Federation KSA107 Kuwait Athletics Federation KUW108 Laos Amateur Athletic Federation LAO109 Latvian Athletics Association LAT110 Libyan Athletics Federation LBA111 Fédération Libanaise d'Athlétisme LBN112 Liberia Athletics Federation LBR113 Saint Lucia Athletics Association LCA114 Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association LES115 Liechtensteiner Leichtathletik Verband LIE116 Athletic Federation of Lithuania LTU117 Fédération Luxembourgeoise d'Athlétisme LUX118 Associaçao de Atletismo de Macau MAC119 Fédération Malagasy d'Athlétisme MAD120 Fédération Royale Marocaine d'Athlétisme MAR121 Malaysia Athletic Federation MAS122 Athletics Association of Malawi MAW123 Federatia de Atletism din Republica Moldova MDA124 Athletics Association of Maldives MDV125 Federación Mexicana de Asociaciones de Atletismo, A.C MEX126 Mongolian Athletic Federation MGL127 Marshall Islands Athletics Federation MHL128 Athletic Federation of Macedonia MKD129 Fédération Malienne d'Athlétisme MLI130 Malta Amateur Athletic Association MLT131 Athletic Federation of Montenegro MNE132 Montserrat Amateur Athletic Association MNT133 Fédération Monégasque d'Athlétisme MON134 Federaçao Moçambicana de Atletismo MOZ135 Mauritius Athletics Association MRI136 Fédération d'Athlétisme R.I Mauritanie MTN137 Myanmar Track & Field Federation MYA138 Athletics Namibia NAM139 Federacion Nicaragüense de Atletismo NCA140 Royal Dutch Athletics Federation NED

LIST OF IAAF MEMBER FEDERATIONS

| 39

Name Country Code141 Nepal Athletics Association NEP142 Athletics Norfolk Island NFI143 Athletic Federation of Nigeria NGR144 Fédération Nigerienne d'Athlétisme NIG145 Northern Marianas Athletics NMI146 Norwegian Athletics Federation NOR147 Nauru Athletics Association NRU148 Athletics New Zealand NZL149 Oman Athletic Association OMA150 Athletics Federation of Pakistan PAK151 Federacion Panameña de Atletismo PAN152 Federacion Paraguaya de Atletismo PAR153 Peruvian Athletics Sports Federation PER154 Philippine Athletics Track & Field Association PHI155 Palestine Athletic Federation PLE156 Palau Track and Field Association PLW157 Athletics Papua New Guinea PNG158 Polish Athletics Association POL159 Federação Portuguesa de Atletismo POR160 Amateur Athletic Association of DPR of Korea PRK161 Federacion de Atletismo de Puerto Rico PUR162 Fédération d'Athlétisme de Polynésie Française PYF163 Qatar Athletics Federation QAT164 Federatia Romana de Atletism ROU165 Athletics South Africa RSA166 Russian Athletic Federation RUS*167 Fédération Rwandaise d'Athlétisme RWA168 Athletics Samoa SAM169 Fédération Sénégalaise d'Athlétisme SEN170 Seychelles Athletics Federation SEY171 Singapore Athletic Association SGP172 Saint Kitts & Nevis Amateur Athletic Association SKN173 Sierra Leone Amateur Athletic Association SLE174 Slovenian Athletics Association SLO175 Federazione Sammarinese Atletica Leggera SMR176 Athletic Solomons SOL177 Somali Athletics Federation SOM178 Athletic Federation of Serbia SRB179 Athletic Association of Sri Lanka SRI180 South Sudan Athletics Federation SSD181 Federaçao Santomense de Atletismo STP182 Sudan Athletic Association SUD183 Schweizerischer Leichtathletik-Verband SUI184 Surinaamse Athletiek Bond SUR185 Slovak Athletic Federation SVK186 Swedish Athletic Association SWE187 Swaziland Athletics Association SWZ

LIST OF IAAF MEMBER FEDERATIONS

40 |

Name Country Code188 Syrian Arab Athletic Federation SYR189 Athletics Tanzania TAN190 Tonga Athletic Association TGA191 Athletic Association of Thailand THA192 Athletics Federation of the Republic of Tajikistan TJK193 Amateur Athletic Federation of Turkmenistan TKM194 Turks & Caicos Islands Amateur Athletic Association TKS195 Federaçao Timor-Leste de Atletismo TLS196 Fédération Togolaise d'Athlétisme TOG197 Chinese Taipei Athletics Association TPE198 Nat'l Association of Athletics Admin. of Trinidad & Tobago TTO199 Fédération Tunisienne d'Athlétisme TUN200 Turkish Athletic Federation TUR201 Tuvalu Athletics Association TUV202 UAE Athletics Federation UAE203 Uganda Athletics Federation UGA204 Ukrainian Athletic Federation UKR205 Confederacion Atletica del Uruguay URU206 USA Track & Field USA207 The Athletic Federation of Uzbekistan UZB208 Athletics Vanuatu VAN209 Federacion Venezolana de Atletismo VEN210 Vietnam Athletics Federation VIE211 Team Athletics Saint Vincent & The Grenadines VIN212 Yemen Athletics Federation YEM213 Zambia Amateur Athletic Association ZAM214 National Athletic Association of Zimbabwe ZIM

* Currently Suspended

LIST OF IAAF MEMBER FEDERATIONS

| 41

KERINGET GIRLS SCHOOL: A WINNERS’ PARADISE

NAKURU - Somewhere deep in the Rift Valley Prov-ince, a day school of very spartan construction is de-fying conventional order by churning out hugely-tal-ented athletes. The school could be mistaken by any casual observer as just another learning institution until it’s sporting story is told. Then one can see how it is creating a world-class youth athletics system that has, in barely five years of existence, reached the apex of sporting achievement. The scheme was start-ed in 2012 to nurture incoming talent from the primary schools in the neighbouring villages. With a system that has been set up to co-ordinate training for talent-ed youths and to offer education simultaneously, the Keringet Winners Girls High School in Kuresoi, a hilly terrain of cold weather in a green, agriculturally-rich countryside that was formerly a forest, is now inter-twined with global youth athletics.

Founder Principal Marylyn Lasoi, who serves in Ath-letics Kenya (AK) Youth Sub-Committee, says the land where the school stands was donated by the lo-cal community and was supported by Global Sports Communications, a Dutch athletics management company. Faith Kipyegon, the Olympic 1,500m cham-pion is a product of the programme that has been built up painstakingly over many years. And Kipyegon launched her career in the IAAF World Youth Champi-onships, the precursor of the IAAF World U 18 Cham-pionships that Kenya is hosting between July 12-16 this year. Aged 16, Kipyegon participated in the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and fin-ished fifth in individual race, winning gold with the team. At the following year’s World Cross in Punta Umbria she won individual and team gold medals. The same year Kipyegon took part in the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France, and won gold in the 1,500m, recording 4:09.48 as she beat three Ethiopian rivals.

Kipyegon added another 1500m gold medal at the IAAF World U20 Championships at Barcelona, Spain in 2012, establishing herself on an upward trajecto-ry that saw her traverse the globe, winning further Championships medals as well as IAAF Diamond League circuit meetings. She has since won the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Bydgozszcz, Poland, in 2013, and earned further gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and inaugural IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, where she teamed up with Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat and

Helen Obiri to win the 4x1,500m race.With that kind of progression, it hardly was surprising that she went on to win 1500m gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.It all began for Kipyegon on the youth training pro-gramme planned by Charles Ng’eno at the Keringet School. Mercy Chebwogen, winner of 3,000m Stee-plechase at the 2012 IAAF World U20 Championships in Barcelona, is also a product of the school’s pro-gramme.

Another decorated athlete from the school is Rosef-lyn Chepngetich, winner of the 2,000m Steeplechase at the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships in Do-netsk, Ukraine, in a time of 6:14.60. Chepngetich add-ed another gold in the same event at the 2015 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, recording 6:22.67. Over the 3000m Steeplechase she was second in the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene, USA,. She also shared the podium finish with Kipyegon at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Championships in Byd-gosczcz, making the school administration very proud of their athletes. With that kind of incentive, student athletes from this school are confident of performing well in any global or regional competition.

Despite having bagged an Olympic gold, Kipyegon still trains with the girls every week on the bumpy training ground they use as their training field. According to Ms Lasoi, at least four of their stars will make the Ken-ya team for the forthcoming IAAF World U18 Cham-pionships. Anne Nyaguthi and Viola Chemutai were already named in Team Kenya for the Commonwealth Youth Games in The Bahamas from July 19-23. Other athletes in the single-stream school of 172 students are Mercy Chepngeno, Diana Chepkorir, Josephine Wanjiku, Jackline Chepkoech and Sharon Chemutai. Nyaguthi won the 3,000m at the regional champion-ships in Eldoret and was second in the national sec-ondary schools’ cross-country championships. Viola

Chemutai was third behind Nyaguthii in the 1,500m at Eldoret and fifth in the National Secondary Schools cross-country championships. Other runners from the school have scored very well in regional and national championships to enable Keringet to remain on the radar of youth talent centres. Ms Lasoi basks in the fame of her girls and is looking forward for another triumphant moment at the Kasarani Stadium when the Kenyan capital hosts the world in July. - Isaack Omulo for LOC Media

PROFILES

Ann Nyaguthi (left) and Viola Chemutai of Keringet Winners Girls High School in a training session on their grounds - Photo by Stafford Ondego for LOC Media

42 |

| 43

KENYA’S BEACON OF HOPE IN WORLD U18KERICHO – Lemotit Athletics Training Camp is one of the centres of excellence spread around the Kenyan countryside. Located in the tree-clustered Finlays Es-tate in Londiani, within Kenya’s most prolific tea zone of Kericho, Lemotit Training Camp takes pride in its world class athletes, among them Sandrafelis Chebet and Emily Chebet Kipchumba, silver medallists in the 2,000m Steeplechase and 3,000m respectively at the last IAAF World U18 Championships in Cali, Colom-bo two years ago. Celliphine Chepteek Chespol won the girls’ 3000m steeplechase gold to hand Kenya a one-two in the water-and-barrier race. The two silver medallists are the “signature” performers of Lemotit Training Camp, although the camp is teeming with rich athletics talent that will be useful during the World U18 Championships in Nairobi.

That is, according to the campfounder and coach Paul Kemei, a former Paralympian, and his wife Em-ily Cherotich Ruto, a bronze medallist in 800m at the 2016 Africa Senior Championships in Durban, RSA, and fifth finisher at the World Relays in Bahamas (with squad team-mates Ealine Walianya, Mary Kuria, Sil-via Chesebe and Josephine Chelagat). The Camp’s journey to global fame started in Addis Ababa, Ethi-opia, during the Africa Junior Championships in 2015 when Sandrafelis won bronze and Kipchumba finished fourth. Later in the same year the girls – both previ-ously fourth form students of neighbouring Saramek Secondary School - won gold medals at the Africa Youth Championships in Mauritius – Kipchumba in the 3,000m and Chebet in the 2,000m SC.

During that continental event, Chebet set an African Youth record of 6:16 and Kipchumba also ran a re-cord time of 9:02. The progression took them to Cali where they won their IAAF World U20 silver medals. Kipchumba did not make the team for last year’s IAAF World U20 Championships in Poland, but Chebet was selected and finished fifth in her race. At this year’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampa-la, Chebet was 11th in the U20 6km race.

Coach Kemei has won the support of a major running shoe manufacturer for a programme in which he he puts the boys and girls from neighbouring schools together for training, while scouting for races. At the camp, they preach a dope-free sport, sporting excel-

lence and fear of God. “I want to bring out God-fearing clean athletes who attain world class standards,” says Kemei. “I am like the stuttering Moses in the Bible, or the short man called Zaccheus, who despite his height caught the attention of Jesus Christ. I also want to be like the blind Bartholomew. All those men proved that disability is not inability.”

Kemei won the 10,000m in the 2009 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports in New Delhi, In-dia, but returned the medal after officials realised he wasn’t actually an amputee, but was born with de-formed hands, which did not qualify him to participate in the event. Apart from the athletes they are churn-ing out from their rich production line, the family is equally rooted in the history of youth athletics. Emily Cherotich Ruto won 800m gold in the 2001 IAAFWorld Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, beating Veronika Plesarova of Czech Republic and Carlene Robinson of Jamaica to second and third positions re-spectively. She just missed the podium in Sherbrooke, Canada, two years later, coming home fourth behind the Russian winner Maria Shapaeva, Olga Cristea of Moldova and Larisa Arcip of Romania. This husband-and-wife team now have a group of 20 runners from whom they expect to provide medal winners for Team Kenya at the forthcoming Nairobi 2017 IAAF World U18 event.

Athletes at the Lemotit Athletics Training Camp:Abigael Chelangat Ruto (17 yrs - 2,000m SC, 6:26.71), Janet Chepkoech Langat (16 - 1,500m, 4:27.0) Diana Chepkoech Tarus (16 - 2,000m SC, 6:28.00), Mercy Chepkorir Kirarei (16 - 3,000m, 9:26.0), Faith Chepko-rir Mutai (16 - 3,000m, 9:33.0), Teresa Cherotich Tuei (16 - 400m, Long Jump, 57.0, 5.6m), Annah Naasisho Leparakuo (16 - 3,000m, 9:29.10), Vicody Chepngetich (17 - 800m, 2:11.0), Vicky Chepngetich (17 - shot putt/ discus, 15.36m), Faith Chepkoech (17 - 800m, 2:10.0), Florence Chepkoech (17 - 800m, 2:13.26), Sharon Cheptoo (17 - 400m H, 1:00.67), Beatrice Chebet (17 - 3,000m, 19:18.0), Lydia Chepkorir (16 - 800m, 2:12.0), Gilbert Kibet (17 - 2,000m SC, 6:01.02), Daniel Rop (17 - 3,000m, 8:38.02), Wesley Kipchirchir (17 - Long Jump, 7.14m), Tabitha Cherono (16 - 1,500m, 4:13.01), Judith Chepkirui Tunising (16 - 1,500m, 4:30.08), Solo-mon Mutuku (17 - 2,000m SC, 6:02.67) - Isaack Omulo for LOC Media

PROFILES

From left: Mercy Chepkorir Kirarey, Emily Cherotich, Ann Nashishio and Catherine Syokau train at the Lemotit Camp - Photo by Stafford Ondego for LOC Media

44 |

| 45

PROFILES

Being the youngest athlete in the 5000m final didn’t stop 15-year-old Emmaculate Chepkirui in her quest for a medal at the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016. Competing in her first global cham-pionships against 17 other athletes – some of whom were three years older – just one of them ultimately fin-ished ahead of Chepkirui. The young Kenyan took the silver medal in a PB of 15:31.12, having led for much of the second half of the race. But unlike most of the older athletes she competed against in the Polish city last year, Chepkirui has another chance to win a global title on the track. She will still be just 16 years old when the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017 gets under way. And, lucky for her, the event will be held on home soil.

In the 18-year history of the IAAF World U18 Champi-onships, just seven athletes have won gold on home soil. With Kenya’s rich history of success at these Cham pionships, that figure will surely rise at this sum-mer’s event and Chepkirui appearss to be one of the host nation’s best hopes of a gold medal. Chepkirui is based in Sotik in the Rift Valley, the same part of Kenya that 2013 world 5000m silver medallist Mercy Cherono is from. It is little surprise to learn that Cher-ono, the 2008 and 2010 World U20 3000m champion, is a huge source of inspiration for Chepkirui. Cherono is one of six Kenyan athletes to have previously won the girls’ World U18 3000m title. Ten years on from her triumph in Ostrava, Cherono’s Championship record of 8:53.94 still stands. When Cherono landed that title in 2007, little was known of her. She had finished a distant 23rd at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships earlier that year and had no significant achievements on the track of which to speak. By way of comparison, Chepkirui is already a few steps ahead of her idol at this point in her career.

After a handful of strong performances in regional and national cross-country meetings, Chepkirui earned her first international medal when finishing second at the 2016 East African Junior Championships in Dar-es-Salaam. She went on to win the trial race for the IAAF

World U20 Championships, marking her out as Ken-ya’s top 5000m contender ahead of the global event in Bydgoszcz. “I maintained my pace and thought of Mercy Cherono who was my inspiration and eventually made it,” she told local reporters after her victory in Nairobi. She went on to reduce her PB to 15:31.12 at the World U20 Championships when taking the silver medal behind Ethiopia’s Kalkidan Fentie. It was a high-ly respectable performance for someone so young. And it didn’t take long for Chepkirui to turn her focus towards the next major targets. Chepkirui earned a spot on Kenya’s junior team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Kampala 2017. Once again, she was one of the youngest athletes in the race, but she finished ninth – one of five Kenyans in the top 10 – and earned a team silver medal, missing gold by just one point.

“I am happy with my performance in Kampala,” she told Kenyan newspaper The Star. “It was my first attempt at the World Cross and finishing ninth can only be a sign of better things to come. My experience there has given me an advantage; I feel I am now better off and I have the endurance to go all the way. ”Just two months after competing in Kampala, Chepkirui was back on track wearing the Kenyan vest once again, this time at the East African Youth Championships. And, after earning silver medals at three successive international events, this time she went one better.

She won the 3000m in 9:30.9, finishing comfortably ahead of teammate Betty Chepkemoi, the fourth -place finisher in the steeplechase at last year’s IAAF World U20 Championships. The pair then formed half of the victorious 4x400m team. Chepkirui’s 15:31.12 in Bydgoszcz last year was the fastest time in the world by a youth athlete for five years. But the longest event for girls on the World U18 Championships programme is the 3000m, so that will naturally become Chepkirui’s focus in Nairobi. “I just can’t wait for the World U18 Championships,” she said. “I am more than ready.” - IAAF Media

INSPIRED BY CHERONO, CHEPKIRUI IS READY TO SHINE IN NAIROBI

Emmaculate Chepkirui of Kenya, Kalkidan Fentie of Ethiopia and Bontu Rebitu of Bahrain on the podium after women’s 5000 metres during the IAAF World U20 Championships at the Zawisza Stadium on July 23, 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. ©Getty Images for IAAF

46 |

| 47

JAMAICA’S TOP IAAF WORLD U18 LIST

THE IAAF World Under-18 Championships, formerly the World Youth Championships, will have its final staging this year when the tenth edition takes place in Nairobi, Kenya, between July 12 and 16. At the 206th IAAF General Meeting held at the Summer Olympics last year, a decision was made by the Council that this year’s staging would be the last one as it was the intention t improve the performances of Under-18 athletes in future at the continental level. Since the first staging of the World Youth Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 1999, where Veronica Campbell Brown made her break-out on the international stage, there have been great Jamaican performances, as several have been crowned champions in different disciplines. Following performances so far this season at various meets, including the ISSA-GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships, several Jamaicans have made big statements and are at the top of the class in their events as they look set to make big impressions in the final staging of this meet.

Vere Technical’s Brittany Anderson is hoping to join Yanique Thompson as champion in the Girl’s 100m hurdles, and after dazzling performances so far in the event, she has the four fastest times at this level, with her record-breaking performance of 13.04 seconds, achieved in winning her semi-finals at the domestic Championships, leading the class. Her other top times

are 13.12, 13.18 and 13.21.

It is a clean sweep of the top-three 100m hurdles spots by Jamaicans, as Holmwood Technical’s Shanette Allison, who broke Anderson’s record of 13.37sec in the preliminary round at Champs with 13.30, is at No2, while Manchester High’s Daszay Freeman is at No3 with her 13.37, also recorded at the domestic Championships.

Russell Leads Charge Among MalesCalabar High’s outstanding sprint hurdler DeJour Russell, who smashed Omar McLeod’s Class One 110m hurdles record at Champs and who was ranked No1 among Under-20 athletes last year in the event, sits atop the world list in the Boy’s 110m hurdles event. Russell, who just missed out on getting a medal at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, last year after finishing fourth, could go all the way in the Under-18 age group this time. Russell’s winning time of 13.31 in winning the Under-18 event at the Carifta Trials has him at the head of the class.

Four other Jamaicans are ranked in the top-three of their events, with Calabar’s Michael Stephens, Wolmer’s Boys’ Jeremy Farr and Ruseas High’s Antonio Watson at No2, while Vere Technical’s Ramone Lindo and St Elizabeth Technical’s Dashinelle Dyer are both third. - The Gleaner

PROFILES

from Jamaica competes in men’s 110 hurdles qualification round during the IAAF World U20 Championships at the Zawisza Stadium on July 20, 2016 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. ©Getty Images for IAAF

48 |

ZAZINI BLITZES TO 400M HURDLES WORLD YOUTH BESTSouth African teenager Sokwakhana Zazini (TuksSport High School) proved without doubt that he’s one for the big occasion as he set a World Youth record in the 400-metres hurdles earlier this year. Zazini won in a time of 48.84sec at the Gauteng North Championships at the University of Pretoria, a time 0.17sec faster than the previous record set by American William Wynne in 2007.

What made this performance even more remarkable is that, even before Zazini had settled down in his starting blocks, it had been predicted that the record was going to go. The reason for this was his performance the previous week at the Gauteng Schools Championship in Germiston, where he won in 49.53 - at the time the second-fastest ever by an under-18athlete. The youngster was never going to allow the expectations to get to him, however. The moment the starter’s gun was fired, he set out to challenge the stopwatch with the greatest of confidence.

An ecstatic Zazini was at first left speechless by his own performance, but when he realised what he had achieved, a big grin appeared on his face. “We have really been working towards breaking the record,” he said. “To do so is an amazing experience.” Even the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Champion, Cornel Fredericks, who won the men’s 400m hurdles in a time of 49.27 was impressed. “Sokwakhana has what it takes to become the next real deal in the 400m hurdles, but it’s important that from now on he needs to be managed properly,” said Fredericks.

“I ran against William Wynne when he set the record of 49.01 at the World Youth Championships. It was predicted that he was going to be a real champion. It never happened. He was constantly injured and his career just fizzled out without him fulfilling his potential. My advice to Sokwakhana is to remember that any athlete is only as good as his last race. It would be unfair to him if there is too big a fuss made about this achievement. He should always remain hungry to run a faster time.”

According to Hennie Kriel, who coaches the Tuks athlete, what makes Zazini such an exciting prospect is his hunger to succeed. “I have no doubt that he can be the best, especially since he is a quick learner,” Kriel said. “We are still working at his hurdling technique to get it to be more efficient.”. Zazini also excels over the 400 metres flat.

Last year his performance at the South African Junior and Youth Championships in Germiston was remarkable. In the space of an hour he won the 400m in 47.23 and finished second in the 400hurdles final, running 50.85. If Kriel has his way, Zazini will continue doing that 400-hurdles/400m combination for quite a few more years. - ASA Media

Athlete Profile, Country - South Africa, Date of Birth - 23 Sep 2000, Personal Best - Outdoor Performance 400 Metres, 46.20 - Durban (Kings 31 Mar 2017. 400m hurdles, 48.84 - Pretoria (Tuks) 17 Mar 2017

PROFILES

Zazini hurdling his way to victory Photo Credits - Reg Caldecott

| 49

50 |

Zeney Van Der WaltAthlete ProfileCountry: South Africa Born: 1999Personal Bests

Event Result Wind Venue Date

100m 12.36 +0.5 Germiston (RSA) 22.03.2017

200m 24.95 -0.1 Pretoria (RSA) 12.04.2017

300m 38.97 Sasolburg (RSA) 28.03.2017

400m 55.10 Sasolburg (RSA) 08.04.2016

300mH 43.35 Pretoria (RSA) 20.03.2015

400mH 57.94 Cape Town (RSA) 08.04.2017

Pole Vault 2.90 Pretoria (RSA) 28.02.201

PROFILESZENEY VAN DER WALT - SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMPION 2017

She is ranking 2nd on the IAAF u18 2017 rankings with a time of 57.97 South African champion 2017

South Africa are sending a team of only 12 athletes to the IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi, but, with competitors of the quality of Zeney Van Der Walt, they are ready to make a big impact. “The team may be small, but it is strong,” said ASA President Aleck Skhosana. “We believe these athletes will be able to carry the SA flag with pride.”

The 17-year-old Van Der Walt has had an outstanding start to 2017, having set personal bests over five different distances, including a 400m hurdles time of

57.94sec at the ASA Junior and Youth Championships in Cape Town on April 8 which puts her second in the IAAF world Youth listings. She was just 0.03sec outside the national record held by Olympic Youth Games champion Gezelle Magerman.

A day earlier at the same meeting, Van Der Walt reduced her 400m best to 54.97. Earlier this year she set bests at 100m (12.36), 200m (24.95) and 300m (38.97).

Zeney van der Walt in action in in the Youth Girls 400m Hurdles final. Photo Credit - Rodger Sedres

| 51

52 |

France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela may be a late starter in athletics, having taken up the sport just two years ago, but this 16-year-old 100m hurdler is rising fast in the ranks of world Youth athlet-ics. She trains in Paris with Albertine Koutouan, whose daughter Sarah was a 100m hurdles bronze medallist at the last IAAF World U18 Championships at Cali in 2015.

Samba-Mayela qualified for the European U18 Championships in Tblisi last summer, and this winter she broke the French junior indoor 60m hurdles record with 8.10sec.Samba-Mayela, who was born on October 31, 2000, has a 100m hurdles personal best of 13.22sec.

CYRENA SAMBA-MAYELA

TEURA’ITERA’I TUPAIA

Teura’itera’i Tupaia, a 17-year-old javelin throw-er, is on the right trajectory to make a huge impact for his country, the paradisiacal French Polynesian Island of Tahiti. Tupaia, who lives in Papeete, began in athletics at the age of 12, and he is also developing well as a multi-eventer.

However, the javelin, at which he has a personal best of 75.45m, is his main focus. Tupaia trains with Leo Brinkfield and he missed the medal podium by just one place at last year’s European Athletics U18 Championships in Tblisi. Now he is looking to take another step up…

PROFILES

| 53

54 |

SELEMON BAREGA - AIMING TO JOIN AN ELITE CLUB PROFILES

When he lines up at the start of the 5000m at the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017, Selemon Barega will be looking to join one of the most elite and unusual clubs in athletics.Only three athletes have ever won a World U20 title prior to taking gold at the World U18 lev-el, a trio that’s well known to athletics fans.

There’s New Zealand shot putter Jacko Gill, who after winning the world junior title in 2010, followed up with triumphs at the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships and the 2012 World Junior Championships, and at age 22 has already reached the finals at the IAAF World Championships (in 2015) and Olympic Games (2016).

There’s Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the Bahamian 400m su-perstar who, like Gill, won U18 laurels in 2011 after tak-ing the World U20 title the year before. In 2015 she took silver at the IAAF World Championships and last year claimed a dramatic victory at the Olympic Games in Rio. Then there’s the biggest name of all in athletics --and arguably in all of sport. That would be Usain Bolt, who won 200m gold at the 2002 World Junior Champion-ships, and gold in the same event at the 2003 World Youth Championships. The rest, of course, is history for the Jamaican who went on to capture both the 100 and 200m at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.

That’s the kind of company Barega is hoping to join after his dramatic victory at the World U20 Champion-ships Bydgoszcz 2016. There, in a thrilling battle over the final 150 metres, Barega outsprinted Djamal Direh of Djibouti to take a well-deserved 5000m victory, the third straight for Ethiopia in that event and ninth overall.

“I prepared very intensely for these Champion-ships and I did what I prepared for,” said the un-heralded Barega, who had arrived in Bydgo-szcz well off the radar with a modest 13:49.53 personal best. “If I train well, in the future I may go to the World Championships and Olympics.”With his performance in the Polish city, Barega cer-tainly gave Ethiopian fans and officials some images to file away for future reference after a strong home stretch performance en route to his 13:21.21 run.

Barega played a waiting game during the opening stages, with Eritrea’s Aron Kifle, the silver medal-list in the Bydgoszcz 10,000m, taking control for the first five laps, covering 2000 metres in 5:26.49.

Kenyan Wesley Ladema then took command, up-ping the tempo enough to whittle the lead group down to seven runners with five laps to go. Two laps later it was down to five: Ladema, Ki-fle, Barega, Direh and Kenyan Moses Koech.The field was reduced further with 500 metres remain-ing when Kifle, trying to make a move to the outside, tripped and tumbled to the track and out of contention.

Ladema still led with just over half a lap to go when Barega made his move. But he wasn’t alone. As he passed the Kenyan, Direh tagged along, and shadowed him to the line, but couldn’t move by. Direh clocked 13:21.50, a national U20 record, with Ladema a cou-ple steps behind in third, clocking a PB of 13:23.34.While he has raced sparingly since on the internation-al stage, Barega, who turned 17 in January, has im-pressed, especially on the cross-country circuit where he won senior races at major invitational events.

Two-and-a-half months after capping his 2016 track season with a 5000m victory at the Palio Citta della Quercia meeting in Rovereto, Italy, where he clocked 13:24.06, he moved up in distance - and performed exceptionally well. He cruised to a 27:13 victory over 9.39km at the Cross Le Main Libre in Allonnes, France on 20 November and followed up with another win in Leffrinckroucke, France, at the Cross de l’Alcier over 9.3 km. Then, racing over 11km, he won the famous Cinque Mullini event in San Vittore Olona, Italy, on 22 January.

A runner-up finish at the Ethiopian junior cross coun-try championships followed which led to a berth on the national team bound for the Ugandan capital Kampala, host to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships 2017. There, Barega finished a strong fifth in the U20 race and took a second internation-al gold as part of Ethiopia’s victorious men’s team.With that kind of international experience under his belt, Barega’s entry into that elite club will be difficult to stop.

Selemon Barega after winning the 5000m at the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016 ©Getty Images for IAAF

| 55

56 |