Kenyan Athletics Championships

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Kenyan Athletics Championships
Athletics pictogram.svg
Sport Track and field
Country Kenya

The Kenyan Athletics Championships is an annual track and field meeting which serves as Kenya's national championships for the sport. Athletics Kenya, the country's governing body for athletics organises the event.

Contents

The championships is usually held over a three-day period and the location varies, though the capital Nairobi is a frequent choice as it has both Nyayo National Stadium and the Moi International Sports Centre. The national championships may also serve as the trials for selection to the national team for competitions such as the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Olympic Games, African Championships in Athletics and the Africa Games. [1] [2] [3]

On some occasions the trial events are held separately from the main national championships. [4] [5] As a result of this, the national championships can be less of a focus for Kenyan athletes and lesser performances are produced, with slow tactical races common in the long-distance track events. [6] Athletics Kenya mitigates this by offering cash bonuses for national champions. [7]

The championships was well established by the 1980s, hosting a full range of Olympic-level individual track events for men. By 1981, the women's programme featured track races from 100 metres to 3000 metres, two hurdles events, high jump, long jump, three throws (shot put, discus, javelin), heptathlon and a 20,000 metres track walk. A 10,000 metres was introduced in 1987, a triple jump following in 1991, then the steeplechase and hammer throw came in 1998. The addition of the women's pole vault in 1999 marked parity of events between the sexes at the Kenyan Championships. [8]

Editions

Championships records

Men

EventRecordAthlete/TeamDatePlaceRef
100 m 9.85 A (+0.8 m/s) Ferdinand Omanyala 8 July 2023 Nairobi [9]
10000 m 27:01.06 A Geoffrey Kamworor 18 June 2021 Nairobi [10]

Women

EventRecordAthlete/TeamDatePlaceRef
100 m 11.35 A (+0.3 m/s) NR Maximilla Imali 28 April 2022 Kasarani
200 m 23.37 A (+0.4 m/s) NR Maximilla Imali 27 April 2022 Kasarani
400 m 50.38 [lower-alpha 1] A NR Mary Moraa 7 July 2023 Nairobi [11]
1500 m 3:59.77 A Nelly Chepchirchir 8 July 2023 Nairobi [12]
10000 m 30:53.60 A Hellen Obiri 18 June 2021 Nairobi [13]
100 m hurdles 13.99 A (+0.7 m/s) NR Priscilla Tabuda 27 April 2022 Kasarani
High jump 1.75 m A Zeddy Chesire 22 June 2023 Nairobi [14]
Hammer throw 59.72 m A NR Linda Oseso 14 June 2012 Nairobi [15]

Notes

  1. by World Athletics Profile, 50.39 by other sources

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References

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  2. Mutuota, Mutwiri (2013-06-22). Mutai and Chepkurui among winners at Kenyan Championships. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  3. Okeyo, Dennis (2016-05-25). National athletics trials set at Kasarani. Standard Digital. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  4. Okoth, Omulo (2005-06-18). Former World champions win at Kenyan Championships – Final Day. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  5. Kenyan World Championships Trials - Preview. IAAF (2003-07-23). Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  6. Njenga, Peter (2004-06-19). Kenyan Championships - Final day. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  7. Okoth, Omulo (2005-06-16). Kenyan Championships, Day One. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  8. Kenyan Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-09-09.
  9. Justin Lagat (8 July 2023). "Kipyegon shines at Kenya's World Championships Trials". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  10. Jess Whittington (19 June 2021). "Obiri and Kamworor break Kenyan 10,000m all-comers' records in Nairobi". World Athletics. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  11. Justin Lagat (8 July 2023). "Kipyegon shines at Kenya's World Championships Trials". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  12. Justin Lagat (8 July 2023). "Kipyegon shines at Kenya's World Championships Trials". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  13. Jess Whittington (19 June 2021). "Obiri and Kamworor break Kenyan 10,000m all-comers' records in Nairobi". World Athletics. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  14. "High Jump Result". World Athletics. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  15. Ayumba Ayodi (14 June 2012). "Oseso hits hammer record on head". Daily Nation . Retrieved 15 June 2012.