2023 World Championships Trials: Athletics Kenya reveals criteria for selection, warns athletes

Athletics Kenya President, Jack Tuwei, says the first two runners to cross the finish line will qualify automatically for next month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary ‘provided they have met the qualifying standards.’

According to the Kenyan Star newspaper, Tuwei disclosed this at a press conference heralding the Kenya World Championships trials which will hold between July 7 and 8, 2023 at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

The Athletics Kenya President added that ‘for races that will require a third athlete, the selection will be decided by the panel of selectors led by its chairman Paul Mutwii.

‘Third athlete to qualify will be decided by the selection panel. If any athlete meets the qualification standards after the trials and before July 30 he or she will be considered. This will apply only for events that will not have the maximum number of three athletes.’

Tuwei, according to the newspaper, reiterated that athletes with wild cards must compete in the trials in order to be in Team Kenya to Budapest.

In a race where two or more athletes with wild cards are competing, only the fastest will be selected.

The Athletics Kenya President reveals at the press conference that 160 athletes made up of 92 men and 68 women have been invited for the Trials.

The invited runners, according to Tuwei, ‘have all met the testing requirements by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).’

The athletes have however been warned that they will not be allowed to participate if they don’t pick their running bib numbers personally on a designated day (July 6, 2023).

‘Any athlete who fails to pick their bib numbers on Thursday will not be allowed to compete in the trials. Additionally, runners must come with their passport and national Identity Card.’

Athletics Kenya, like the Americans have made presence at the trials a condition for qualification.