Athletics Kenya (AK) has unveiled a new office in Eldoret, a first of its kind outside Nairobi, and launched a streamlined online registration system starting Wednesday in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Speaking in Eldoret after opening the new office at Daima Towers, AK president Jack Tuwei (pictured)announced that starting January 1, 2025, all services will be exclusively available to registered athletes.
“We have started the registration of athletes, camps, coaches, and anyone involved in athletics. We have already developed a program outlining how the registration will be done,” sTuwei stated.
He noted that many athletes come from this region, which is why they have brought the new office closer to them.
“We have a lot of athletes in this area, and many of them travel to Nairobi to obtain important documentation, which is tiresome and costly. For an athlete coming from Turkana, traveling to Nairobi is not easy. We want to make it easier for athletes to get these documents from this new facility,” added Tuwei.
He continued to say this office will assist athletes in seeking recommendations and in accessing any required services related to athletics.
“We highly encourage all athletes to ensure they are registered as soon as possible to avoid any disruption in receiving crucial services from AK,” said Tuwei.
Registration will be rolled out in 16 centers across the country: Iten, Eldoret, Kapsabet, Kaptagat, Kitale, Keringet, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Kisumu, Mumias, Nyahururu, Nyeri, Machakos, Ngong, and Nairobi.
“This innovative platform simplifies the process for athletes and support personnel of all levels to register and receive services offered by AK,” explained Tuwei.
The registration process will unfold in three phases: pre-registration, registration, and post-registration.
“Once the athlete has all the necessary documents, they will be required to complete the official registration process by providing their athletics competition performance attained at a World Athletics, AK, or any other athletics national federation-sanctioned event,” he explained.
Upon successful registration, athletes will receive a confirmation email with access to their personalized participant dashboard, which will help them track participation, key information, and update select details.
Meanwhile, the Eldoret City Marathon awarded prize money to winners at an event held at Eldoret Sports Club.
The top 20 finishers in both the men’s and women’s races were awarded a total of Sh18 million, with champions Victor Kipchirchir and Emily Chepkemoi each receiving Sh3.5 million.
Race Director Moses Tanui confirmed that all winners won fairly, emphasizing that no cases of doping were identified by the Anti-Doping Authority of Kenya (ADAK), which collected athletes’ samples on marathon day, April 21, 2024.
Tanui added that the prize money would be reflected in the athletes’ accounts by Friday, as the process of transferring the money had already been initiated by Talanta Hela, the sponsor of the prize money in full.
AK Youth Development Chairman Barnaba Korir assured athletes and stakeholders that any marathon licensed and approved by AK guarantees payment to athletes, as the organization ensures the prize money is secured before any licensed marathon takes place.
The event was graced by Uasin Gishu County Women’s Representative Gladys Boss, who called for continued support from sponsors and stakeholders.
She reaffirmed her commitment to supporting next year’s edition, scheduled for April 27, 2025, and promised to continue advocating for the welfare of athletes, including support for their training in communication skills, public relations, and investments to ensure their brands are well-represented and their futures secured.
