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WORLD U18

MESSAGE FROM THE LOC CEO – MR. MWANGI MUTHEE

LOC at every step of the way in preparing for these
championships.
We hope to see wonderful competition, fast times
run and huge distances jumped and thrown, by the
participants who range between 15 and 17 years of
age. Ours is a country with immense admiration
for young athletes. We appreciate our big track and
fi eld world stars but when we discuss their careers,
KYEB
the interesting back story is how they developed
as athletes, how well and where they competed as
children.
Kenya has given birth to a long list of athletics
super stars most of whom started out as supremely
talented children whose abilities defi ed belief. Among
these greats are Seraphino Antao, Mathew Birir,
Amos Biwott, Naftali Bon, Wilfred Bungei, Faith
Chepngetich, Lydiah Cheromei, Vivian Cheruiyot,
Wilson Kiprugut Chumo, Paul Ereng’, Ruth Jebet,
Pamela Jelimo, Janeth Jepkosgei, Ben Jipcho, Julius
Kariuki, Kipchoge Keino, Wilson Kosgei Kipketer,
Lornah Kiplagat, Asbel Kiprop, Paul Koech, Amos
Korir, , Billy Konchellah, Bernard Lagat, Catherine
Ndereba, Noah Ng’eny, John Ngugi, Henry Rono,
KENYA YEARBO0K
Daniel Rudisha, David Rudisha, Peter Rono, Saif
Saaeed Shaheen, William Tanui, Naftali Temu, Paul
Tergat, Douglas Wakiihuri and Samuel Wanjiru.
ese championships will be Kenya’s time to re-
EDITORIAL BOARD
live its history of athletics and we hope it will also be
he Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the
of interest to many in the rest of the world. Nyandika
IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017
Twelcomes all our visitors. On behalf of all
a British colony, during the 1956 Olympics in
Kenyans, we are happy to have you around during Maiyoro was the fi rst to captivate the nation, then
this historic moment when our country for the fi rst Melbourne, Australia. He finished seventh in the
time hosts a major IAAF World Athletics Series (WAS) 5000m but he is remembered as if he was a winner.
event, the 11th and fi nal edition of the IAAF World It was at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff ,
U18 Championships. Wales, the second games that Kenya attended (after
We thank the Kenya Government led Steering 1954 in Vancouver, Canada) that the country fi rst
Committee, the Government of the Nairobi City grabbed medals. Arere Anentia took bronze at the 6
County and the International Association of Athletics miles and Bartonjo Rotich, bronze at the 440 yards
Federations (IAAF). We thank them for their sup- hurdles.
port, in fi nance, kind and personnel, the faith they e LOC will be making sure that as many pioneer
put in and the encouragement they have given the medallists as possible from the past Olympic Games,

10 | ACTIVITIES AND OCCURENCES DURING WORLD U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS