All is set for Kenya to host the World Under-18 Championships which begin on Wednesday 12 at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
Thousands of athletes from all around the world will be battling it out for top honors in various fields, with Kenyans hoping the home advantage will play in their favour at the games.
Team Kenya’s head coach, Kariuki Gikonyo expressed his confidence ahead of the game, saying the athletes have prepared well and will give a good showing.
He believes Kenya can repeat her good performance that saw her athletes win the overall title in editions of the World Under-20 Championships in 2000 (Santiago, Chile), 2006 (Beijing) and 2010 (Moncton, Canada).
Kenya won seven gold medals in Santiago, six in Beijing where Olympic and World 800m champion David Rudisha was revealed to the world and seven from Canada where 2013 World 5,000m silver medalist Mercy Cherono was among the winners. Gikonyo coached Kenya to the games.
“We are ready for the championships. I believe I still have the midas touch that will propel these youngsters to their best performance on this final edition of the world youth event” local media outlet Nation reports him to say.
Kenya’s best ever performance in the championship was during the 2009 edition in Brixen, Italy where they claimed 14 medals; six gold, seven silver and one bronze for the overall title.
