Nairobi to make history as first African host of world athletics championships in 2029

 Kenya’s capital Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships making it the first African city to stage the prestigious outdoor global athletics event.

NAIROBI: Kenya’s capital Nairobi has been selected to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships making it the first African city to stage the prestigious outdoor global athletics event.

The decision was announced by World Athletics on Tuesday following a council meeting in Budapest. Nairobi’s bid defeated competing proposals from London, Munich and Rome.

The governing body also confirmed that Munich will host the 2031 World Athletics Championships while Beijing had already been selected to stage the 2027 edition.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the selection process involved four strong bids and described the final decision as a difficult one. He said bringing the championships to Africa for the first time represented a historic step for the sport.

Kenyan President William Ruto celebrated the announcement, describing the decision as an important moment for both Kenya and the wider African continent. He said the hosting rights represented recognition of generations of Kenyan athletes who have established the country as a global force in track, road running and cross-country competition.

Coe said Nairobi had presented a particularly strong bid and argued that the city had demonstrated that the time was right for Africa to host athletics’ premier championship.

Kenya has a long association with international athletics and has previously staged several major competitions. Mombasa hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships while Nairobi was the venue for the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021. The capital also hosted the 2010 African Athletics Championships.

Nairobi had previously bid for the 2025 World Championships but was unsuccessful. Coe said the experience helped the Kenyan team understand the requirements of the bidding process and return with a stronger proposal.

A major part of the latest bid is the redevelopment of Kasarani Stadium which is undergoing extensive renovation ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Coe highlighted the deep-rooted popularity of athletics in Kenya and pointed to stars such as Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon as examples of athletes who have contributed to the country’s extraordinary sporting reputation.

However, Kenya’s preparations will also face scrutiny over anti-doping. More than 140 Kenyan athletes, many of them distance runners have been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit since 2017 for prohibited substance violations.

Meanwhile Coe said Munich offered a strong case for 2031, citing Germany’s experience in staging major sporting competitions and Munich’s successful hosting of the 2022 European Athletics Championships.

Coe also defended the decision to take the next three editions to Asia, Africa and Europe rather than returning immediately to Europe saying World Athletics has a responsibility to expand the sport’s global reach.