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AK: Kids’ athletics to feature in Kip Keino Classic
Girls take part in a huddle shuttle relay race during this year’s World Kids Athletics Day held at St Agatha Mokwo Girls Secondary School in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County on May 07, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Coach Boniface Tiren added that the event not only promotes activity and fun but also helps children understand their strengths and interests in athletics.
- “The event would also inspire the younger generation to embrace sports and when they join the junior category, they will be able to identify on which events to participate in,” said Tiren.
The World Kids’ Athletics Day was marked on Wednesday with a vibrant display of energy and enthusiasm from over 1,300 children aged between four and 14 years.
The event, celebrated globally, took place in Kenya at St Agatha Mokwo Girls High School in Elgeyo Marakwet County and simultaneously in Makueni County.
This year’s celebrations were inspired by the World Athletics Relays happening this weekend in Guangzhou, China.
The theme of the day centered on celebrating the spirit of Kids’ Athletics and the broader athletics community.
Athletics Kenya (AK) Youth Development Director Barnaba Korir emphasised the federation’s commitment to integrating Kids’ Athletics into more national events.
“As a federation, we intend to include Kids’ Athletics in the sixth edition of the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour, not just as entertainment, but as a way of introducing children to the larger world of athletics,” said Korir.
“As we celebrate this global event, only Norway and Uganda are currently ahead of us in championing Kids’ Athletics, but we are keen to remain among the top three.
Going forward, we will scale up activations of the Kids’ Athletics programme in schools and densely populated areas, including informal settlements. It’s the best way to instill a love for the sport at an early age and nurture a new generation of clean athletes.”
Korir also noted the developmental importance of the initiative: “It is one way of nurturing talents at a tender age, and the kids will grow knowing the right thing to do.
That is how the champions shall be identified in the coming years. We believe that every child is born to move, play and explore no matter where they are in the world or their individual circumstance and we are aiming to use the power of athletics to inspire children and young people.”
AK athletes’ representative Milcah Chemos echoed the sentiment, highlighting the long-term value of early exposure to athletics.
“The event that was being marked across the world was significant in making sure the young generation understands athletics at a tender age so that when they reach the right age of competing, they will be at their best,” she said.
“We have seen the kids here from different schools having fun and competing and this is just to make them understand what they expect as they continue growing. With such events, we are going to have more competitive juniors and we want to thank World Athletics for starting such an initiative.”
Elizabeth Keitany, a National Executive Member from the federation, described the event as a culmination of various Kids’ Athletics activities that have taken place across the country.
“We want to thank the teachers and the schools who brought kids to this event because it inspires them to always continue training and eventually we shall have strong juniors being identified. We shall be doing a follow up through the Youth office,” said Keitany.
Coach Boniface Tiren added that the event not only promotes activity and fun but also helps children understand their strengths and interests in athletics.
“The event would also inspire the younger generation to embrace sports and when they join the junior category, they will be able to identify on which events to participate in,” said Tiren.