Tag Archives: Jack Tuwei

Athletics

Ruth Jebet wins Nandi Mountain Run

Former Olympic Games 3,000m steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet won the women 12km race title at the 2nd edition of Nandi Barngetuny Memorial Mountain Run held on Sunday (8) in Tinderet, Nandi County.

The 26 year-old who was banned for four years by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for r-EPO (recombinant erythropoietin) in 2018 won the women title in a time of 1:09.05 and was followed in second by the 2017 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon champion, Bornes Kitur in 1:09.47 with Ruth Chepkemoi finishing in third place in a time of 1:12.58.

The race was graced by Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei who urged athletes to embrace the new Mountain running race for prosperity of talents.

“This is a new career that needs to be nurtured. These athletes are ahead of us in terms of preparations after they went ahead to win gold and silver at the World Mountain and Terrace running last year. It is a good race and we must guard it very well,” said Tuwei.

Jebet who transferred her eligibility to run for Bahrain at the age of sixteen, pocketed Kshs 100,000.

LEADING RESULTS

12KM WOMEN

  1. Ruth Jebet             -1:09.05
  2. Bornes Kitur         -1:09.47
  3. Ruth Chepkemoi  -1:12.58
  4. Peres Kiyai             -1:13.11
  5. Priscila Cherono  -1:14:45
Athletics

Kenya Government Declares full scale War on Doping

The Kenyan Government has moved in with speed on the fight against doping after the leniency by the World Athletics Council of not suspending the country from active athletics events.

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts Ababu Namwamba, said the government wants the resources it deploys to the Athletics Kenya and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) for testing, investigating and enforcement issues across the spectrum be used in taking decisive action against doping.

The Cabinet Secretary who was addressing the media at the at Maktaba House on Thursday, thanked the World Athletics and Athletics Integrity Unit for allowing Kenya the chance to freely race and participate in international events.

“We want to bring in all the stake holders that include the public, athletes, coaches, agents, managers and athletes’ managements to fight this war which we will win by all means. We will also partner with investigative and Judicial agencies, so that they can prosecute and jail the culprits. This a war we must win and we will,” said Ababu.

Accompanied the CS during the presser were Athletics Kenya President, Jack Tuwei, Athletics Kenya Chief Administrative Officer, Susan Kamau, Athletes Representative, Milcah Chemos with athletes Mary Moraa, Maximillla Imali and Dan Kiviasi.

This announcement follows what the World Athletics said yesterday that they have let Kenya be but they will be closely watching the country.

‘World Athletics has been concerned,’ said Sebastian Coe. ‘Kenya has been on the watch list for a few years already.

The World Athletics president who was speaking in Rome said, “In one year 40 per cent of all the positive tests in global athletics have been in Kenya and this is not a situation that World Athletics was prepared to sit and watch develop”.

The country has been in panic for the last few weeks that they would be blacklisted in the style of Russia by World Athletics, given that the country has 55 athletes who are serving the doping bans.

Athletics

President William Ruto extends Tuwei term by three years

Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei will serve for another three year term at the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund Oversight Board.

Through the gazette notice on Tuesday, President William Ruto extended Tuwei’s term which takes effect from today (November 18, 2022).

The AK president was appointed for three years by the former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his contract had elapsed some few month ago.

Athletics

Sebastian Coe: Let’s embrace great transition

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has hinted that athletes transition is the best idea a country and a federation can ever have.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Kasarani stadium ahead of world under 20 athletics championships at the Moi International Sports Cenre, Kasarani, Coe said that the main challenge at the world athletics is maintaining the transition.

Despite the world going through the COVID-19 challenges, they could not go for more than five years without the junior championships.

“We always have such great athletes in the under 18 and under 20 but a few of them fail to represent their country or federations as senior athletes. I want to urge coaches and federations to ensure a good transition. Athletes should be inspired and federations funded to help junior athletes to deliver. To achieve this, we have to be keen, maintaining the relationship with coaches to spend time with them, especially training athletes at a young age of 18 years to senior ranks,” said Coe, the former 800m Olympic Games champion.

He added that coaches have a difficult time in preparing such great athletes especially for the schools and talents.

“We always support federation whenever they have initiative to engage coaches, especially those who want transit into senior coaching, by impressing them to take athletes to greater heights, “added Coe.

However, on a light note, Coe pointed out that it pains the world 800m record holder David Rudisha who broke his world record.

“It pains me to say so but on a light note, but Rudisha did marvelously during the London Olympic Games in 2021. He started from such championships way back in 2006 and went on to win major championships,” said Coe adding that the championships are the big moment for the athletics calendar of the year in athletics where over a 1000 athletes that include Refugee team.

He rekindled the 2017 world under 18 championships at the same venue that connected, describing it as ‘fantastic’.

“It is unfortunate, with obvious reasons that we will not have the noisy passionate informed fans that Kenyans athletics has always produced. Nothingness, this will be an outstanding championship. Athletics in Kenya is a religion and my career was so defined by great Kenyan athletes and there were so many medalists from such championships from credible levels,” he said.

 

Athletics

Kenya upbeat for medals in Asaba 2018 African Championships

Team Kenya is eyeing to top the tally of the 2018 African Championships in Athletics (ACA) in Asaba, Nigeria despite some delayed action on Wednesday.

The distance running powerhouse last topped the medal charts at their home event in Nairobi 2010 where they bagged 10 gold, seven silver and eight bronze medals to finish ahead of Nigeria and South Africa.

Despite falling victims to the travel chaos that saw the team stranded for 48 hours at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos before finally arriving at the Delta State city on Wednesday afternoon, the East African nation has set sights on dominating the biannual track and field showpiece.

“We are here to compete and win as many medals as possible despite the hiccups here and there, which is normal and it happens with a lot of people coming to Nigeria,” Kenya Team Manager, Abraham Mutai said upon arrival in Asaba.

“We are still focused to taking all the medals, this is a big team from Kenya, we are almost a team of 90 with around 65 athletes and we are ready. As a Team Leader, I’m ready, keeping my team together and focused on what we came to do here,” he added.

The country will be seeking to open their medal account in the men’s 10,000m final on the opening day later Wednesday that organisers reduced to only three events following the travel disorder that delayed the arrival of participating teams.

Reigning world and Commonwealth champions, Elijah Manangoi (men’s 1,500m) and Hellen Obiri (women’s 5,000m) lead a loaded cast of 61 Kenyan athletes that includes past and current world-beaters.

Among others to watch include Beijing 2015 world champions, Julius Yego (men’s Javelin) and Nicholas Bett (men’s 400m Hurdles) as well as London 2017 World Championships silver winner, Timothy Cheruiyot (men’s 1,500m) who is the fastest runner at his distance in the world this year.

“Team Kenya, welcome to Asaba Delta State. Let us take everything in our stride with our usual humility. Good luck and God bless,” Athletics Kenya (AK) President Jack Tuwei said in an earlier statement to the athletes upon their arrival in Asaba.

Kenya finished third at the last edition of the event, Marrakech 2014 in Morocco behind South Africa and Nigeria with seven gold, eight silver and 10 bronze medals.

xinhuanet.com

Athletics

Koech to Captain Kenya in Africa Championships

Aaron Koech a twin brother to the 2015 World 400m hurdles champion Nicholas Bett will captain Team Kenya for the Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Asaba, Nigeria.

Koech who won a bronze medal in the men’s 400m hurdles before anchoring Kenya to winning silver in the 4x400m relay will lead the 61 Kenyan members’ squad’s  onslaught in the west African nation during the 21st Senior African Athletics Championships to be staged at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.

He will be deputized by six times Africa champion and Commonwealth Games walk race medalist Grace Wanjiru who is a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer.

After a poor outing at the last Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Kenya are looking to make a big statement in Asaba with their ‘A’ athletes as the country seeks redemption.

Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said they will take the Asaba 2018 event seriously since the top two runners from each discipline will qualify for the IAAF Continental Cup scheduled to hold in Ostrava, the Czech Republic on September 8th and 9th.

“The Intercontinental Cup is a big competition and we want most of our athletes to qualify. That is why we selected the strongest team selected on merit to travel to Nigeria”, Tuwei said.

Kenya finished second overall in the last edition of the championships two years ago in Durban, South Africa, securing eight gold, eight Silver and eight bronze medals.

Hosts South Africa reigned supreme with 33 medals, which included 16 gold, nine silver and eight bronze medals while Nigeria was third with 16 medals inclusive of four gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.

 

Athletics

Nigeria ready to host Africa senior championships

Delta State in Nigeria is ready to host the 21st African Senior Championships, organisers have reported.

Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) technical director, Vivian Gungaram, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the country host the event.

Over 60 Kenyan athletes are expected to take part in the Championships to be staged in Asaba, from August 1 to 5.
Kenya was ranked second overall on the medal chart in the last edition of the championships two years ago in Durban, South Africa.
The country bagged eight gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals. Host South Africa reigned supreme with 33 medals, while Nigeria were third with 16 medals.

After inspecting the Stephen Keshi stadium where the competitions will be staged, Gungaram said the facilities meet the IAAF standards to host the championships.
“This is my second visit for inspection and a lot of work has been done and things are moving fast. I am sure it will be ready by this week,” she said.
After a not too encouraging outing at the last Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Kenyans are looking to make a big statement in Asaba with their top athletes.
Last month, Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said the federation will take the Asaba 2018 event seriously since the top two runners from each discipline will qualify for the IAAF Continental Cup scheduled for Ostrava, Czech Republic on September 8-9.

Athletics

Eldoret City Marathon to become Kenya’s highest paying race

The Eldoret City Marathon set for April 22 will become the country’s most lucrative road race with a combined cash prize of Sh6.5m.

The race, which was launched at the Eldoret Golf Club yesterday, will see winners in both the men and women’s 42km events pocket Sh3m each.

Runner up and third place finishers in both then men and women’s categories will take home Sh1.5m and Sh1million respectively in a cash awards scheme that will trickle to the 1oth finishers.

Race director, Moses Tanui, a former two-time Boston marathon champion, said the event co-sponsored by Uasin Gishu County and Kenya Pipeline is themed ‘Climate Change’.

Uasin Gishu Governor, Jackson Mandago, said the primary objective is to support environmental conservation through sports as per the theme of the event.

“This is a unique marathon meant to celebrate the success of the county and North Rift athletes and as well place Eldoret City on the global map in regard to organisational capacity to supplement the success of the athletes,” said Mandago.

Tanui said he has been inspired to organise the race going by the number of talents in the region who have lacked a platform to showcase their prowess.

He said such talent has in the past gone to waste due to lack of proper structures and races of high calibre.

“Kenya has a glut of talent than the rest of Africa. To be precise, Uasin Gishu County and especially Eldoret City is home to many winners of big city marathons world wide. Ironically, we do not have a marathon of our own,” he observed.

Athletics Kenya (AK) chairman Jack Tuwei expressed optimism that the race will be a huge success and they will make sure it occupies a permanent slot in the AK calendar. “We are going to put this race in our calender of events and there is no doubt in my mind that it is going to be one of the best marathon in country,” he added.

Source: the-star.co.ke