The process of putting together the necessary documents is now underway with AK set to unveil a 2017 World Youth Bid Committee next week.
AK boss Isaiah Kiplagat said the committee will involve all stakeholders to start bid documentation that has to be handed to the IAAF Council before September 22 with the final decision taking place in November during the World Athletics Gala in Monaco.
“We have received confirmation from the Government through the Ministry of Sports and from Nairobi Governor, Evans Kidero, that they will support the event since an approval is required from the city where the event will be held.
“We have done this before and we will not have a problem in preparing for such competitions since we have hosted two major events successfully. I’m happy President Uhuru Kenyatta has encouraged sports federations to apply for hosting rights in some of the international championships and I’m glad we are the first to do so,” Kiplagat declared at a press briefing at Riadha House on Tuesday.
This will be the third time AK will be looking to host a major championship after successfully staging the 2007 IAAF World Cross Championships in Mombasa and 2010 CAA Africa Senior Championships in Athletics in Nairobi.
IAAF announced on March 7 on its website the opening of a new bid processes for several events including the 2017 World Youth.
The biennial global showpiece is open to athletes who are 17 years or younger and has produced athletes who end up becoming stars such as double Olympics and Worlds sprint champion, Usain Bolt of Jamaica, 2011 double World champion, Vivian Cheruiyot and recently graduated two-time World Cross junior champion, Faith Chepng’etich among others.
The event first ran in 1999 in Bydgoszcz, Poland while the 2015 event will be staged in Cali, Colombia with Donetsk, Ukraine hosting the latest running last year.
Kenya will battle it out with USA and Argentina after IAAF confirmed to have received application bids from the three countries.
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