MOI INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CENTRE, KASARANI 1216 JULY 2017 Nairobi , Kenya Official Bulletin www.wu18nairobi2017.com | 1 Table of Contents ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Message from the IAAF President - Sebastian Coe 3 Message from the Patron, The First Lady of the Republic of Kenya 4 H.E. Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta Message from the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and the 5 Arts - Hon. Dr. Hassan Wario Arero Message from the Governor of Nairobi - Dr. Evans Kidero 6 Message from the Chairman of LOC – Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei 7 Message from the LOC CEO – Mr. Mwangi Muthee 8 IAAF Council 9 IAAF Competition Delegates 10 LOC Members 14 Ticket Information 16 17 Visa Information 23 IAAF World Cross Country Championships Report 24 IAAF World U18 Championships website up and running 25 Competition Timetable Nairobi Governor welcomes global athletic fraternity 28 LOC’s Media Committee lines up countrywide media training 29 LOC approves accommodation for event 30 Jacob Kiplimo profi le 31 Event gets LOC equipment boost 32 | 2 MESSAGE FROM THE IAAF PRESIDENT - SEBASTIAN COE The IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017 marks Last summer the IAAF Council decided these would be an important milestone for Kenyan and world athletics. the very last World U18 Championships. Beyond 2017 the IAAF will work with Area Associations to fi nd a new Signifi cantly these championships will be only the competition structure for assisting the career development second occasion that Kenya has hosted an IAAF World of U18 age group athletes. This was a purely strategic Athletics Series (WAS) event. This is an historic moment decision for the future of youth development and there for a country which since the late 1960s has been at the should be no doubt that the IAAF remains passionately forefront of middle and long distance running and one of committed to the success of what will be a marvellous the top medal winning nations at major championships. celebration of youth athletics in the Kenyan capital this July. Furthermore this is the fi rst global track championships that the country has ever staged. Its only previous I look forward to visiting Nairobi for the championships experience as an IAAF WAS host was in 2007 when the and the wonderful opportunity to meet with so many port city of Mombasa was the venue for the IAAF World talented young athletes and their coaches from around Cross Country Championships. the world. It will help me gain a better understanding of how we can best support their aspirations and Nairobi was awarded the IAAF World U18 Championships expectations and so ensure their long term enjoyment of in November 2014, providing Kenya with the opportunity and future in Athletics. to showcase the country as the host of one of the world’s largest international track and fi eld events which attracts Sebastian Coe nearly 2000 athletes and offi cials from 150 countries. IAAF President | 3 MESSAGE FROM THE PATRON, THE FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, H.E. MRS. MARGARET KENYATTA Dear Friends, County, an archeological heaven and the cradle of It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to our mankind. beautiful country of Kenya for the 10th and fi nal edition of the IAAF World U18 Championships. I wish to thank It is here where the world famous ‘Turkana Boy’, a the International Association of Athletics Federations 1.5 million-year-old, near-complete homo erectus (IAAF) for granting Kenya the honour of hosting these skeleton, was found in 1984, with other signifi cant prestigious championships that are a springboard to discoveries including 3.5 million-year-old stone tools the success of our future stars. that justify Turkana as the cradle of mankind. So welcome home! The importance of these championships cannot be Dear friends, 2017 is a signifi cant year for African overemphasized. At the fi rst edition of what was then athletics with another World Athletics Series event, the IAAF World Youth Championships in Bydgoszcz, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Poland, in 1999, Kenya made an immediate impression successfully hosted by Kampala, Uganda, in March. by winning the overall title with a total of 10 medals, I also wish to pay tribute to the IAAF for granting namely fi ve gold, two silver and three bronze. Among Africa a leg of the ever prestigious IAAF Diamond the medallists at these 1999 championships was a League Series, with Morocco hosting the 10th round young Kenyan girl called Vivian Cheruiyot, who won of the 2017 Series (the 10th Meeting International a bronze medal in the 3000m, and a young boy from Mohammed VI d’Athetisme de Rabat) on July 16, Ethiopia by the name of Kenenisa Bekele who took a on the same day we conclude the IAAF World U18 silver medal in the 3000m behind Kenya’s Pius Muli. Championships in Nairobi. As we have all witnessed, Kenenisa and Vivian Finally, I would like to commend the Local Organising have grown to become amazing World and Olympic Committee of the Nairobi championships, along with champions, an indication that they received a great Athletics Kenya, the Kenyan Government, Kenyatta foundation through participation in these age-group University, all our sponsors, partners, suppliers, championships. It is, therefore, befi tting that the IAAF offi cials and, in a most special way, the volunteers for has granted East Africa, and Kenya in particular, working around the clock to ensure Nairobi delivers a the honour of hosting the fi nal edition of these memorable fi nal edition of these championships. championships in Nairobi. Kenya will continue to support and be a worthy I wish to pay tribute to all the previous hosts: participant in all IAAF World Athletics Series events Bydgoszcz (1999), Debrecen (2001), Sherbrooke and programmes, as we always have. In this regard, (2003), Marrakech (2005), Ostrava (2007), Brixen we look forward to sending yet another strong team to (2009), Lille (2011), Donetsk (2013) and Cali (2015) – the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Athletics for allowing our talented boys and girls to lay great in London from August 5 to 13 to defend our position foundations to their track and fi eld careers. as the world’s top track and fi eld nation, having topped the medal standings at the last championships Kenya lives and breathes sports, and athletics in in Beijing two years ago. particular, and it’s for this reason that I would like to encourage you all to take time off after these To all the boys and girls competing in Nairobi, I would championships to sample our world famous high like to wish you success in your events. May this be altitude athletics training centres in the Rift Valley the fi rst step towards great careers in track and fi eld, and also in Nyanza and Central Kenya.Our country and may the best athletes win. boasts of amazing fauna and fl ora, and you will leave Welcome to Kenya! with lasting memories through visits to our beautiful coastal beaches, national parks, game reserves and H. E. Mrs Margaret Kenyatta indeed our historical sites such as those in Turkana The First Lady of The Republic of Kenya | 4 MESSAGE FROM THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR SPORTS CULTURE AND THE ARTS - HON. DR. HASSAN WARIO ARERO On behalf of the Kenya Government, the Ministry of hosted the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Sports, Culture and The Arts welcomes all stakeholders event in Mombasa. In 2017, we will be back on the to Nairobi for the IAAF World U18 Championships to be international stage after ten years. We appreciate IAAF held at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani on 12- recognition of Kenya as a country capable of hosting 16 July 2017. global events. I wish to commend the IAAF for giving Kenya the Kenya is viewed as a force to reckon with in the world opportunity to host this grand international event. of athletics. It is therefore important to state that Kenya, Kenya is the second African country to host the IAAF as the reigning IAAF champions, will be gunning for World U18 championships after Morocco in 2005. It is a top honours in the forthcomingchampionships here privilege for us to host this event, which is the last in the in Nairobi. During the IAAF World Championships in history of these Championships. The Local Organizing Beijing, China, in 2015, Kenya wrote history by becoming Committee, in conjunction with the IAAF, has put in the fi rst African nation to top the table. Achieving this place all relevant prerequisites to make this event feat was long overdue, as Kenya has continued to successful. I assure the more than 1,600 athletes from dominate the athletics scene over the years. 160 countries that will be here in Nairobi that necessary arrangements to cater for their well-being have been Apart from being a giant in athletics, Kenya is full of addressed. inexhaustible, diverse opportunities with a rich and priceless cultural heritage. Some interesting aspects The foresight shown by the IAAF to second a manager in Kenya include the magnifi cent landscapes, beaches to the Local Organizing Committee has gone a long and wildlife. What is also worth noting is that Kenya way in delivering great results as we get close to this is considered the cradle of mankind. Kenya has the memorable event. All stakeholders, particularly the largest number of human fossils and the most complete participants, will have a reason to smile. I wish to extend skeletons in the world - factors that provide a great the Kenya Government’s appreciation and recognition wealth of information regarding early human physiology to all those who have come to our country from various - .