Nairobi to host 2017 World Youth Championshipss

Nairobi 2007 IAAF World ChmpionsipsMonaco – Nairobi City  will host IAAF World Youth Championship (WYC) come 2017. Nairobi  won the rights to host the 2017 IAAF WYC  in the  announcement  made by the IAAF Council at the Fairmont Hotel in Monaco.

The Kenyan capital beat out the US city of Greensboro (North Carolina) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).

This will be the biggest sporting event the country will ever have hosted, even surpassing the 1987 Fourth All Africa Games.

The Nairobi bid team was led by Dr Hassan Wario, the Cabinet Secretary at the Ministry for Sports Culture and Arts, Hon Richard Ekai Principal secretary, Japter Rugut Sports secretary  and also included 2014 Diamond league winners Mercy Cherono and Jairus Birech and Athletics Kenya officials.

Meanwhile, world marathon record holder, Dennis Kimetto, is lined up for the Athlete of the Year Award in Monaco. That could be a double achievement for Kenya after bagging the 2017 World Youth Championships.

He will be competing against French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie and Qatar’s high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim.  Then last Kenyan to win the award was Olympic champion and world 800m record holder, David Rudisha after his exceptional performance at the 2012 London Olympic Game