African Athletics Championships underway in Kenya

The stage is finally set to stage Africa's premier track and field championship as over 800 athletes descend on Nairobi for the Senior Africa Championship from Wednesday.

After months of uncertainty and doubts over Kenya's preparation for the championship, president Mwai Kibaki was due to personal lead the country in opening the championship, the first to be staged in Kenya since the 1987 All Africa Games.

The roads have been secured, the venue renovated and the hotels are in perfect state as Africa seeks to overshadow Europe, who are also staging their championship in Barcelona to select the squad that will fly the African flag at the World Cup in Athletics set for Split City in Croatia in September.

Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) has confirmed that at least 165 countries and regions will be able to watch the championship live from Nairobi as they up their game to improve on the broadcast signal.

This will bring in better revenue for the financial stricken confederation compared to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, which only had the signal broadcast in 50 countries worldwide.

Africa, which boost of several top athletes is in a cut throat competition with Europe for the audience as the two continents stage their championship at the same time in Nairobi and Barcelona.

CAA President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum confirmed that they have secured up to 22 cameras to capture the action in Nairobi, which is better than in Addis Ababa, which had only 14.

"We have to improve our signal and make sure we get the right package for the media and the audience, which can compete favourably. We are improving and soon we will be where we want to be," the president said.

Malboum added that with the calibre of world beaters athletes in his camp, the world will be attracted to watch the continent of track and field that is Africa.

He was accompanied by Namibian Olympian Frank Fredricks, Janeth Jepkosgei and David Rudisha, the Africa champion and record holder at 1:41.51.

Rudisha, who will be keen to defend his crown at home having ascended to the top in Addis Ababa two years ago, said that the level of competition in Africa is as high as at the world level and he will not be stepping off his acceleration pedal when he lines up on Saturday.

"I want to run a good race. But it will be hard to run a world record in Nairobi so I just eye to defend my title and hopefully the time will just come along," he said.

Jepkosgei, who is the Kenya team captain, said pressure is on her to deliver and cautioned that even without the sensational South Africa caster Semenya, the 800m women race still has tough challengers especially from Morocco.

"I was able to run sub two minutes in Nairobi on several occasions and I believe I can do the same though improving on the 1:56 time is hard," she added.

Source: Xinhua