Jackson Tuwei, the President of Athletics Kenya, has achieved a historic milestone by being elected as one of the four vice presidents of World Athletics.

During the 54th World Athletics Congress held in Budapest, Tuwei secured an impressive 104 votes, becoming the first-ever Kenyan to hold the esteemed position.

Jackson Tuwei’s mates

He shares this role with distinguished individuals including retired Colombian sprinter Ximena Restrepo, who garnered 154 votes, former Spanish triple jumper Raul Chapado with 119 votes, and ex Indian sprinter Adille Sumariwalla, who received 115 votes.

The competition for the vice president role also included candidates such as New Zealand’s Geoff Gardener, Abby Hoffman from Canada, Antti Pihlakoski from Finland, and Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud from Saudi Arabia.

World Athletics officially confirmed their election through a statement on Thursday. “Ximena Restrepo, Raúl Chapado, Adille Sumariwalla and Jackson Tuwei have been elected as World Athletics Vice-Presidents at the 54th World Athletics Congress,” the statement read.

Jackson Tuwei joins Coe

This remarkable accomplishment follows the re-election of Sebastian Coe as the President of World Athletics.

Tuwei, who has served as the President of Athletics Kenya for the past eight years, brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Prior to his leadership role in athletics, Tuwei served as an Army commander, demonstrating his dedication to both sport and public service.

Notably, Tuwei’s contributions to the advancement of athletics have not gone unnoticed. He was nominated by World Athletics for the 2020 World Athletics Member Federation Award, recognizing his exceptional efforts in elevating the sport.