Athletics Kenya (AK) has officially launched its 2024/25 calendar of activities, marking the beginning of a focused journey towards the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
The launch, held on Wednesday morning at Weston Hotel in Nairobi, unveiled a series of local and international competitions under the theme “Road to Tokyo,” all aimed at shaping Team Kenya into a formidable force for next year’s global athletics event.
During the launch, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, in a speech read by Principal Secretary Peter Tum, urged all stakeholders to align themselves with the new calendar by setting long-term, measurable targets that will ensure Kenya’s success in Tokyo.
“With the 2024/25 calendar now released, I urge all athletes and their coaches to keep their eyes firmly on the ball,” Murkomen said.
“I want to congratulate AK for a job well done—the calendar is quite expansive and includes cross country, marathon, track and field, as well as mountain running.”
The CS emphasized the importance of partnering with the corporate sector to identify and nurture talent, highlighting that local competitions provide a key opportunity to broaden Kenya’s sporting portfolio and improve medal prospects on the international stage.
“At the Olympics, we clinched six medals, which is far below what we are capable of,” Murkomen noted. “Partnership with the corporate sector is vital to expand our chances of winning many more medals at the international level.”
Principal Secretary Tum echoed the sentiments, praising Athletics Kenya for their strategic long-term planning and focus on the athletes’ success.
“The Road to Tokyo is an indication that AK is thinking about the future, with athletes at the center of all their decisions,” Tum said. “There is no success where there is no organization, and I’d like to commend AK for being a well-organized federation.”
Athletics Kenya President Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Jack Tuwei highlighted the numerous opportunities the upcoming season presents, not only for athletes and coaches but also for managers, the federation, and corporate partners.
He underscored the importance of seeking financial support beyond government funding.
“Athletics Kenya is currently in a unique position where the CS has instructed us to look for external support rather than relying solely on government financial input,” said Tuwei. “It is for this reason we have approached some corporates to support us on this Road to Tokyo.”
Tuwei also discussed the federation’s embrace of technological innovations, stressing that the future of athletics will be shaped by advancements in digital technology.
“The future of athletics will be dictated by the pace of digital development. In the next five years, we expect artificial intelligence, data analysis, sports entertainment, and augmented reality to play significant roles,” Tuwei added.
The first event of the new calendar will take place this Saturday with the Betika Cross Country race in Kericho, followed by the Run for Health and Fitness 10k event in Eldoret on Sunday.
These competitions are expected to serve as important platforms for talent development and team preparation for the upcoming Tokyo World Championships.
