Athletics Kenya youth development director says the country’s next generation is being developed for long-term success, with the World Athletics U20 Championships serving as the first step towards the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
By Robert Kibet
A glimpse of Kenya’s future
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 2026-Kenya’s next generation of athletics talent is heading to the World Athletics Under-20 Championships with more than medals in mind.
For Athletics Kenya Youth Development director Barnaba Korir, the team travelling to Eugene, Oregon, for the global championships from August 5 to 9 represents the country’s long-term investment in sustaining its dominance on the world stage.
Speaking during a visit to the team’s residential training camp at Sportsview Hotel in Kasarani, Nairobi, Korir said he was encouraged by the athletes’ discipline, confidence and commitment after weeks of intensive preparation.
“This is the team that will be representing Kenya at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon,” Korir said. “I am really excited by the interaction and discussion I have had with these athletes.”
He added: “The coaches are very happy with the training programme they have undergone, and the athletes themselves are excited about the trip. They are confident that they will do their best.”
Building champions, not just a team
For Korir, Oregon is only the beginning.
He said the current squad forms the foundation of Athletics Kenya’s long-term succession plan, with many athletes still in primary and secondary school.
“This is a very young team, with most of the athletes still in school,” he said. “This is truly a team for the future.”
Korir said he challenged the athletes to think beyond the World U20 Championships and embrace a longer journey towards the Olympic Games.
“I told them to think beyond this championship—to the 2028 Olympic Games and ultimately to reaching their peak around the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games,” he said.
“These are the athletes who will eventually take over from our current senior stars.”
He said Athletics Kenya’s residential camps, talent identification programmes and structured competition calendar are helping create a sustainable pipeline of elite athletes capable of succeeding on the world stage for years to come.
Drawing a line on age cheating
Korir also reaffirmed Athletics Kenya’s commitment to protecting the integrity of youth athletics by tackling age manipulation.
The federation, he said, has strengthened collaboration with World Athletics and tightened monitoring of athletes’ records from the time they enter school.
“I would not say we are perfect yet, but we are getting very close,” he said.
“Looking at these young athletes today, nobody can question their age. Most are still in primary or secondary school, while only a few have just completed high school.”
Korir urged coaches, parents and all those involved in developing young athletes to resist the temptation to manipulate birth records for short-term gains.
“There is absolutely no reason to manipulate an athlete’s age simply to gain short-term success,” he said. “In the long run, it only harms the athlete because the truth eventually comes out.”
He warned that athletes found guilty of age fraud risk losing medals, titles and, ultimately, their credibility.
Confident ahead of Oregon
While acknowledging the growing strength of youth athletics across the world, particularly in sprint events, Korir believes Kenya has assembled one of its strongest and most balanced World Under-20 teams in recent years.
“I was in Cali, and there were only a few athletes who truly stood out,” he said, referring to the 2022 World U20 Championships. “This team is much more balanced. Almost every athlete is performing at a very good level.”
He remains optimistic that the team will rise to the challenge in Eugene.
“My hope is that they maintain the quality of training they have received. When they arrive at the championships, they should compete with confidence, knowing they have prepared well.”
As Team Kenya enters the final phase of preparations, Athletics Kenya views the championships as more than a medal hunt. It is an opportunity to unveil the country’s next generation of champions—athletes expected not only to compete in Oregon, but to carry Kenya’s legacy into LA 2028, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and beyond.
