By Mutwiri Mutuota
Athletics Kenya (AK) will issue a statement in the coming year suspending all road races in the country until the federation reviews how they are organised and run.
At the same time, AK will also set the minimum prize money road races can offer to athletes as it seeks to clamp down on the bludgeoning numbers of such events in the country.
"We will announce the suspension of all road races and urge sponsors to consider sponsoring cross-country events. While we have no problems with marathon and have marathons, we have numerous 10km and 15km," AK chairman, Isaiah Kiplagat, lamented yesterday.
He was speaking to FeverPitch sister station, KTN Sports while reacting to the call made by twice marathon world women’s champion, Catherine Ndereba, who called on AK to review its calendar to decongest the number of races.
"I agree with Catherine that we have too many races in Kericho, Muranga, Eldoret and other towns but our calendar has not changed from last year. Peripheral races that are not in our calendar are the ones we shall seek to address. I have been preaching against road races and something will be done," Kiplagat charged.
He revealed that proposals to have winning prizes in full marathons set at Sh250,000 and Sh100,000 for half marathons are some of the measures being mooted to contain the mushrooming events.
Turning to sponsors, Kiplagat noted: "Athletics has now become a sport and sponsors seem to be enjoying sponsoring athletics. We ask them to, however, consider supporting cross-country races that are more beneficial to athletes since they prepare them well for track racing."
On Sunday, Ndereba, the patron of Nyeri Half Marathon, decried the low competitors’ turn-out in the men’s races and blamed it on the many events that were held within a short span of time.
"Athletes cannot adequately recover to compete well in races that are so close together," Ndereba stated as she urged AK to address the issue.
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