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World Under-18 200 metres record holder Amy Hunt and European Under-18 800m record holder Keeley Hodgkinson will make Team Britain for the World Under-20 Championships due July 7-12 at Kasarani.
British team leader Trevor Painter said on Wednesday that the duo will form their strong team for the Nairobi event and vowed to make inroads in regional strongholds especially middle and distance events.
Barely a month after her 17th birthday last summer, Hunt ran the fastest time by an under-18. Hunt’s time of 22.42sec in Mannheim, Germany in June not only broke the women’s under-18 world record but was the third fastest ever by a British woman.
Hunt’s time would have won a bronze medal behind Dina Asher-Smith at the Doha World Championships. The men’s version is held by Usain Bolt of 20.13 set in 2003 when he was 16 years old.
Hodgkinson set a blistering 2:01.16 for a new European Under-18 record with victory at Vienna Indoor Classic on February 1 this year.
“We have strong sprinters while our throwers are also coming through,” said Painter. “We shall be fighting for medals and for sure we shall steal some medals from Kenya.”
Painter, who was accompanied by Team British manageress Lorna Dwyer, was speaking after touring the facilities that will host the World Under-20 Championships.
The tour was conducted by the Nairobi 2020 World Under-20 director of technical and competition, Ibrahim Hussein, director of logistics, Douglas Wakiihuri and chief operations officer, Regina Gachora.
The tour started at Kenyatta University where the Athletes Village and warm up track will be stationed to the warm up track and main arena at the Moi International Sports Centre.
Britain was among the countries that withdrew from the 2017 World Under17 Championships over security concerns.
Painter noted Kenya learnt a great deal during the 2017 World Under-18 Championships and is ready to host the event and encouraged other countries to come for the event.
“We are 100 per cent ready and coming for the championships and maybe only the coronavirus can only stop us,” said Painter, adding that if competitions were held in a venue like Kasarani every time then everything would be perfect.
“From a manager, coach, athlete and spectators point of view, everything has been thought of so well and I can smell another perfect coming that will please the world,” explained Painter. “The infrastructure right from the Athletes’ Village to Kasarani is so easy.”
Dwyer said that what countries would only need to know is if they were safe and secure, which the Kenyan government has guaranteed. “Everything else is simple and convenient just the young athletes would love with no fuss,” said Dwyer.
Hussein assured the visitors of a good event.
Britain now joins Germany, Austria and Spain as the teams that have send advance parties to survey the facilities with the French contingent expected next week.
