By Athletics Kenya Media Team
Kenya’s distance running icon Eliud Kipchoge has issued a passionate appeal to the global athletics fraternity to award Nairobi the 2029 World Championships, describing it as the perfect way to honour a nation that has shaped the sport for more than four decades.
Speaking during a virtual media briefing attended by leading track and field journalists from around the world, the two-time Olympic marathon champion said Kenya’s unrivalled success on the global stage had earned it the right to host the prestigious championships for the first time.
Kipchoge, 41, who won his first world title in the 5,000m at the 2003 World Championships, said awarding Nairobi the 2029 edition would not only recognise Kenya’s immense contribution to athletics but also mark a historic breakthrough for Africa.
“I’m telling the world to give us the chance. Giving Kenya the chance is giving back to the sport. Kenya has been winning all the medals and breaking all the world records, winning the Diamond Leagues… winning everything,” Kipchoge said.
“The only gift that the world can give Kenya is to accept and give us the chance to host the World Championships in 2029. It will be a huge moment for Kenya and for Africa,” he added.
The former world marathon record holder, who became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in 2019 (although it was unofficial), insisted that Kenya’s dominance over the past 40 years deserved recognition beyond medals.
“Kenya has been in the limelight in track and field for the last 40 years. It’s time the world said, ‘Let’s allow this beautiful country and this young continent to host the World Championships.’ That is the greatest gift the world can give Africa, and above all Kenya,” he added.
Who is Nairobi competing against for 2029 World Championships?
Nairobi remains one of the leading contenders to host the 2029 World Championships, with World Athletics expected to announce the successful bid next month during the Ultimate Championships in Budapest. London, which staged the championships in 2017, is also among the bidders.
No African nation has ever hosted the senior World Championships. However, Kenya has successfully delivered several major events under the World Athletics Series, including the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the World Under-18 Championships in 2017 and the World Under-20 Championships in 2021.
All age-group championships were staged at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, the proposed venue for the 2029 event. The Government has also thrown its weight behind the bid.
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi met AK President Jackson Tuwei and Nairobi Bid Committee chairman Ibrahim Hussein to review the progress of Kenya’s campaign.
“Hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships will be a historic milestone for Africa, showcasing Kenya’s rich athletics heritage while boosting tourism, attracting investment and elevating the country’s global sporting profile,” said Mvurya.
“The Government remains fully committed to supporting the bid as we work towards bringing the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Kenya,” he added.
Eliud’s Running World project
Meanwhile, Kipchoge continues his Eliud’s Running World project, which aims to complete a marathon on every continent while inspiring communities through running. Next weekend, Kipchoge heads to Brazil to compete in the NB42K Porto Alegre Marathon as the second stop of his global initiative, Eliud’s Running World.
After launching the initiative in Cape Town, he now heads to Brazil to compete in the NB42K Porto Alegre Marathon as the second stop in his global initiative. He will be joined by his wife, Grace Sugut, who is set to run her second marathon after making her debut in Cape Town earlier this year.
