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World 800m record holder David Rudisha has confirmed his participation at this year’s Watamu Sport Festival earmarked to run between October 18 and 20 in Kilifi.

“My next challenge is Watamu Sports Festival where I will take part in the 10km run,” tweeted Rudisha who is currently at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar supporting team Kenya.

The multiple Olympic champion is set to compete in the challenge under the 10 KM standard Duathlon run category. 

According to event organisers, participants at this year’s event will battle it out for various lucrative prizes.

“The two days event will see competitors rub shoulders in various disciplines including Running, Duathlon, Aquathlon, and Cross Triathlon. The standard Duathlon will have categories such as 10km run, 40km cycling and 5km run.

While Sprint Duathlon will include 5km run, 20km cycling and 2.5km run,” said Race director Vincent Ochieng.

He added: “We will also have the Cross Triathlon which will entail 1km swimming, 30km MTB cycling and 7km run, while the famous Aquathlon will entail 1km swimming and 5km run.”

The inaugural Watamu Sport Festival will also double up as Kenya’s multi-sport national championships where participants will be contesting for national honours and an opportunity to represent the country at the 2020 ITU World Multisport Championships to be held in Almere, Netherlands.

Ochieng said the three-day event was geared towards promoting local tourism and provide more opportunities of play for amateur multi-sport enthusiasts.

Unlike most conventional world championships, the ITU Multisport World Championships welcomes athletes of all levels, abilities and age and this is a contributing factor to the fast-growing popularity of the sport. 

“Kenya, is hoping to fill in 120 slots allocated to Kenyan athletes at the world championships by the world governing body of the sport; International Triathlon Union,” he said.