Kenya has confirmed it has submitted a bid document to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Nairobi has hosted both the world under-18 and under-20 world championships in the last four years.

“We formally confirmed our bid to host the global championships on Friday, October 1 which was the deadline set by World Athletics,” Athletics Kenya chief Jackson Tuwei told AFP.

“We organised two very successful world junior championships at the Kasarani stadium in 2017 and in August 2021, where a number of world records and personal bests were realised,” he said.

“We learnt a lot of lessons in staging both events, and realistically it is our time to bring the biggest event.”

It will be the first time the World AthleticsChampionships will be hosted on the continent since the first event in Helsinki, Finland during 1983.

USA’s former world and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin wants Kenya to host the event after recently competing at the Kip Keino Classic meeting in Nairobi’s Kasarani stadium.

“To have Kenya host a World Championships here would be a great opportunity,” he told BBC Sport Africa at last month’s event.

“You have so many champions and so many great Kenyan runners. I think the world should be able to see where they come from, how hard they work and what makes them the athletes they are.”

Long-distance runner Jacob Kiplimo claimed the National Mountain Running Championships in Kapchorwa on Sunday.

Jacob Kiplimo casually won the Ugandan National Mountain Running Championship yesterday
So many fans there! pic.twitter.com/rwe5mtzEC8

— Emily Evans (@RunEmilyERun) September 26, 2021

The 2020 Olympic Tokyo bronze medallist Kiplimo comfortably reached the finish line of the 12.5km race in 41:30.3.

Mathew Chepkwurui came second in 42:5.79 while Kevin Kibet took third place in 43:09.50.

Kiplimo wants to defend the 2020 World Half Marathon he won on 17 October 2020 in 58:49 before turning to the 2022 Commonwealth games.

“I decided to participate in the National Mountain Championships as a launching pad to achieve my set goals. And I have to start early preparations,” he told URN.

“I have lined up national and international build-ups to the competitions I am targeting.”

Annet Chelangat Chemengich won the women’s category in 51:10.2. Doreen Chemutai who crossed the finishing line second in 52:16.1.

Some of the world’s biggest Athletics superstars will be battling it out for Diamond League titles in Zurich, Switzerland.

Among those who will be taking the track of Letzigrund Stadium are three Ugandan female athletes.

Steeplechaser Peruth Chemutai as well as middle-distance runners Halima Nakaayi and Winnie Nayondo will be up for the tough task.

The trio will be battling the world’s best and most in-form athletes in their respective events on Thursday, 9th September.

Olympic gold medalist Chemutai will battle on form Norah Jeruto and Kyvin Kiyeng. The two Kenyans were clear of Chemutai the last time they competed at Prefontaine Classic Meet in Eugene, Oregon where the Ugandan couldn’t cope with the pace.

It will be a tall order for Winnie Nanyondo in the 1500m going against Kenyan Faith Kipyegon who has made the race her own and Sifan Hassan who will be the main challenger. Australia’s Linden Hall and American Josette Norris who finished ahead of Nanyondo at the Prefontaine Classic are also in the mix.

Meanwhile, world champion Halima Nakaayi will have to be at her mercurial best to get the better of Natoya Goule of Jamaica, the Great Britain duo of Keely Hodgkinson and Jemma Reekie, as well as American Kate Grace.

Race Time (EAT)

• Peruth Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase Women) – 8:26pm
• Winnie Nanyondo (1500m Women) – 9:17pm
• Halima Nakaayi (800m Women) – 10:03pm

Ugandan runner Jennifer Nyakato has claimed silver at the 2021 World Deaf Athletics Championships in Lublin, Poland. 

The 27 year old ran a scintillating 800m to cross the finish line 2nd with a time of 2.10.26 to confirm her place on podium.

Russia’s Luliia Abubiakirova won the race in 2:08.83 to walk away with Gold while fellow countrywoman Kudriavsteva Ekaterina won bronze in 2:12:44. 

All the podium places came with season bests, underscoring the blistering pace at which the race was run by the trio.

Jennifer came off a fourth place finish in heat 1 of the 1500m finals on Day 2 of the events. She posted 4:47:89 in a race that was won by  Russian Abubiakirova Emillyevna in 4:42:45.

The current record holder in Africa in both the 1500m and 800m raced as the first Ugandan deaf athlete to take part in the championships. 

Her personal best in the 800m is at 2.11.13 ran on 1st June 2019 at Mandela National Stadium, while over 1500m is 4:34.01 registered on 11th July 2019 in Napoli. 

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei claimed victory in the Men’s 2 Miles race at the Eugene meeting of the Diamond League on Saturday.

In the battle of Olympic gold medalists, 5000m winner Cheptegei defeated Selemon Barega (the 10000m champ), running a world-leading time of 8:09.55 to beat the Ethiopian who came home in 8:09.82.

“It feels so good to come back and run 2-mile in Oregon. It really means a lot to me to win here in Oregon and it will always be in my heart,” Cheptegei said in the aftermath of the race.

Paul Chelimo of the USA was timed in 8:09.83 for third place to win the mini-battle of bronze medalists as Jacob Kiplimo settled for fourth in 8:10.16, a personal best for the 20-year-old.

How other Ugandans fared

In the Women’s 3000m steeplechase, Peruth Chemutai finished seventh in 9:10.87. Two of the six athletes ahead of her ran personal best times while three ran their season-best. Norah Jeruto who didn’t make the powerful Kenyan Olympics team raced away to a world-leading time of 8:53.65 and was followed by Courtney Frerichs who ran an American record and personal best of 8:57.77. Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng, a bronze medalist in Tokyo, finished in 9:00.05 for third place.

Halima Nakaayi came sixth in the Women’s 800m recording a time of 1:58.78. American teenage sensation Athing Mu was at her all-time best, lowering her own national record to 1:55.04 in a race she won by well over two seconds as countrymate Kate Grace (1:57.60) edged Jamaica’s Natoya Goule (1:57.71) for second.

Winnie Nanyondo came fourth in the Women’s 1500m in 4:00.72. Faith Kipyegon of Kenya ran by herself for a huge victory in a meet record 3:53.23 to win by over six seconds. Australia’s Linden Hall (3:59.73) beat American Josette Norris (4:00.07) for second place.

Uganda’s Tokyo Olympics medalists Joshua Cheptegei, Peruth Chemutai, and Jacob Kiplimo are some of the stars to watch at the Eugene meeting of the 2021 Diamond League on Saturday, 21st August.

Cheptegei, a gold medalist at the Olympics, and Kiplimo a bronze medal winner will compete in the Men’s 2 Miles race that has also attracted other Olympic medalists as 10000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia and Paul Chelimo of the USA.

Meanwhile, golden girl Peruth Chemutai will compete against world number one and Olympic bronze medalist Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya as well as Olympic silver medalist Courtney Frerichs of the USA in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase.

In the Women’s 800m, World Champion Halima Nakaayi will battle Tokyo Olympics champion Athing Mu of the USA and silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain as well as bronze medalist Raevyn Rodgers of the USA.

In the Women’s 1500m, Winnie Nanyondo will be up against two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya who is also the meeting record holder, and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Laura Muir of Great Britain.

Race Time (EAT)

• 3000m Steeplechase (Women) – 11:03pm
• 800m (Women) – 11:48pm
• 2 Miles (Men) – 11:56pm
• 1500m (Women) – 12:12am (Sunday, August 22)

Ugandan Olympian Prisca Chesang ran a Personal Best in the Women’s 3000m at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships after a downpour on Thursday.

The 18-year-old finished fourth in a time of 9:03.44, a Personal Best over the distance. Chesang was 3.32 seconds behind bronze medal winner Melknat Wudu of Ethiopia.

Teresiah Muthoni Gateri and Zenah Jemutai Yego ran a sub-nine-minute race for a one-two Kenya finish. Gateri claimed gold in a time of 8:57.78 while Yego was just over a second slower with 8:59.59.

Chesang raced ahead on the blue track of Kasarani Stadium after the gun, leading the pack through 1000m but after that, race winner Gateri and silver medalist Yego switched leads at intervals.

Chesang will return to action on Sunday, 22nd August in the 5000m final scheduled to start at 5:10pm.

How other Ugandans performed on the day

In the Men’s 5000m finals, Rodgers Kibet and Martin Magengo Kiprotich finished seventh and ninth respectively.

Kibet crossed the finish line in a time of 13:57.97 and while Kiprotich came home in 14:15.62.

In the Men’s 1500m, Peter Maru qualified for the finals after coming fourth in a fast-paced Heat 1 in a time of 3:48.28. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 21st August at 4:30pm.

Four Ugandan athletes will be in action during the afternoon session of Day 2 of the World Athletics U20 Championships on Thursday, 19th August.

Olympian Prisca Chesang will be the last to take the blue track of Kasarani Stadium at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya as she runs for gold in the Women’s 3000m at 5:00pm.

Chesang also entered the Women’s 5000m at the championships whose final is slated for Sunday, 22nd August at 5:10 pm.

Meanwhile, it will be middle-distance runner Peter Maru who will take the track first in Heat 1 of the Men’s 1500m at 3:30pm.

Rogers Kibet and Martin Magengo Kiprotich will follow, competing for gold in the Men’s 5000m finals at 4:30pm.

MTN Uganda has contributed UGX 100M to the Joshua Cheptegei fundraising drive to complete his training centre in Kapchorwa.

The money is being offered in addition to UGX 100M that was initially handed over to the Joshua Cheptegei Foundation in early February this year.

The Olympic double medal winner launched his fundraising drive on Thursday following a state luncheon with H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni.

At the launch, Cheptegei expressed his desires of raising UGX 1.7 billion over 100 days for the construction of a world-class hostel facility with fitness and other related equipment.

In addition to that, the center that is already fitted with an Olympics size track would also bear a museum to “attract both tourists and teach the values and ethics of Ugandan athletes.”

Speaking at the rewarding event organized by MTN on Friday, MTN CEO Wim Vanhelleputte revealed the contribution to the drive.

”Double Tokyo Olympic medalist Cheptegei launched a fundraising drive for a training facility and MTN has decided to give 100,000,000shs towards this cause,” he said.

“This is in addition to the 100M that we donated to Cheptegei’s foundation back in Feb.”

The gesture falls in line with the one year sponsorship deal MTN and Cheptegei signed in February that includes a performance package if he won Olympic Gold, or any other medal in Tokyo. 

MTN Uganda has been consistent in supporting athletics since entering a partnership with Uganda Athletics Federation in 2004.

Support has been rendered through various grass root athletics programs, the most prominent being the MTN Kampala Marathon.

All MTN Uganda subscribers will enjoy a week of the MTN Dabolo promotional offer as part of celebrating Olympic double medal winner Joshua Cheptegei.

The 24-year-old won gold in the men’s 5000m days after claiming silver in the 10,000m category. His achievements meant he was the first Ugandan to win two medals at the same Olympic event.

From the rewards event organized on Friday to appreciate 17 athletes, 5 coaches and 3 administrators, MTN Chief Executive Officer Wim Vanhelleputte revealed that every subscriber would enjoy the offer for a full week.

”In celebration of the triumph of Joshua Cheptegei, we are offering all our subscribers a week of the MTN Dabolo offer, effective tomorrow,” Wim said.

“In the promotion, customers who load a daily data bundle will get double the volume of data,” he added.

The reward underpinned the generous one-year sponsorship deal MTN Uganda signed with Cheptegei early this year in which shs100million went towards the Cheptegei Foundation.

Since 2004, MTN, in partnership with the UAF has been a part of the development of Uganda’s athletics right from the grass roots. Through the UAF programmes and the MTN Kampala Marathon, a lot of talent has been identified and gone on to shine all over the world.

What is MTN Dabolo?

MTN Dabolo 4G is a promotion where all prepaid MTN customers get twice as much data when they buy any Daily Data bundle.

To qualify for the double data , the participating customers must have an MTN 4G SIM card. Upgrading to the 4G SIM card is free for all customers who presently do not have the 4G SIM Card. Such customers can visit any MTN Shop for a free upgrade.

Customers can dial *150*10# to buy data or *165*2*4# to pay using MoMo only.

Customers are free to buy as many of the above bundles as they want, and in each case, bonus data will be given. The bonus data is valid for the same 24 hours as the primary data bundle purchased.

The bonus data cannot be shared. To check the total data balance, customers will dial *131*4#.