Rukare backs Kenya’s 2029 World Athletics Championships bid

Commonwealth Sport President Donald Rukare has backed Kenya’s bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, saying the country has the sporting heritage and experience to stage the global event.

Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of the ANOCA Zone 5 Youth Games, Rukare congratulated Kenya for taking up the challenge of hosting major international competitions, saying the country’s ability to nurture young athletes should also be matched by opportunities to host events at the highest level.

Rukare said the Zone 5 Youth Games will help develop the next generation of athletes who could eventually compete at major championships, including the World Athletics Championships and the Olympic Games.

 “This is the incubator, mainly because we believe that the future athletes and the future champions come from these kind of games,” said Rukare

Rukare said hosting competitions such as the Zone 5 Games is important in building the experience and environment needed to develop athletes and stage bigger international events.

He also praised the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) for accepting to host the Zone 5 Games, saying ANOCA Zone 5 could not have made a better choice.

 “We are very thrilled and excited that Kenya NOC accepted the offer to host the ANOCA Zone 5 games,” he added.

The Commonwealth Sport president also congratulated Kenya for its performance at the recent games in Glasgow, saying the young athletes competing in Nairobi should view the Games as the beginning of a longer journey that could take them to the Youth Olympics in Dakar and eventually the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

 “Some of the young people that will be participating in the games will get inspired to go ahead and become champions in their respective disciplines,” he said

Kenya has formally submitted its bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, with Kasarani Stadium proposed as the main venue and the bid is now in the final stages, with World Athletics expected to announce the host city in September 2026.