Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi believes Kenya has earned the right to host the World Athletics Championships after decades of dominating the global stage.
If successful, Kenya will become the first African nation in history to stage athletics’ flagship global event when the World Athletics Council announces the winning bid for the 2029 championships on Tuesday.
“We hope by September 15, when the World Athletics Council announces the host of the 2029 World Championships, Kenya will be selected,” said Mwangi.
Kenya’s rich athletics heritage makes the bid especially significant.
“Kenya is a sporting nation. At the world level, we have dominated athletics for years, especially in the marathon and distance races. That is why the 2029 bid is so critical for us,” he said.
Kenya’s credentials are backed by a stellar record at the World Championships. The country sits second on the all-time medal table—and top among African nations—with 182 medals, including 72 gold, 60 silver and 50 bronze. Ethiopia follows in sixth place with 108 medals, South Africa ranks 22nd with 28, and the United States leads overall with 469 medals.
Mwangi pointed to Kenya’s growing reputation as a reliable host for major international sporting events, citing last year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN), the annual WRC Safari Rally and the Magical Kenya Open.
“We have successfully hosted big events like CHAN last year, the annual Safari Rally, and major golf tournaments, so we know we can deliver,” he said.
Kenya has already demonstrated its ability to stage world-class athletics events, having hosted the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the 2017 World Athletics Under-18 Championships and the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships, in Nairobi.
“Kenyans should be prepared to receive the great news that we will host the 2029 World Championships,” said Mwangi.
“The benefits of hosting are enormous. Our athletes, who usually compete internationally, will have the rare privilege of chasing global honors on home soil. Winning this bid means Africa hosts the championship for the first time, proving that we have truly come of age in sports,” he said.
Securing the event would accelerate national infrastructure development, aligning with the Ministry of Sports’ efforts to support President William Ruto’s vision of establishing Kenya as the region’s premier sports hub.
Kenya faces stiff competition from three European heavyweights: London, Rome and Munich.
London staged the 2017 World Championships along with the 1908, 1948 and 2012 Olympic Games. Rome hosted the 1960 Olympics and the 1987 World Championships. Germany has welcomed the world for the 1936 Berlin and 1972 Munich Olympics, as well as the 1993 (Stuttgart) and 2009 (Berlin) World Championships.
Despite the strong competition, the government and Athletics Kenya remain committed to their ambition, having submitted a joint bid to host either the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships.
