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Deaf Athletics Association of Kenya (DAAK) will reschedule local competitions that were planned for this year.
DAAK indicated that it will reschedule local competitions after new dates for the fourth edition of World Deaf Athletics Championships have been known.
The World Deaf Athletics Championships has been planned for July 18 to 25 in Radom, Poland, but all indications are that it will be postponed due to coronavirus pandemic.
DAAK Public Relations Officer Tom Okiki said that they expect a communication on the fate of the competition from organisers at the end of April.
As a build-up to the global event, DAAK had planned three competitions, all which have been postponed to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The competitions are the seventh edition of Deaf Half Marathon that had been scheduled for April 26 in Nakuru and the National Deaf Track and Field Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on May 29 and 30.
The other competition is the first edition of Deaf Cross Country that was scheduled for June 7 at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi. Thereafter, the team was to hold a residential training camp for the World Deaf Athletics Championships at Kasarani from June 29 to July 13.
“We planned to use the local events to prepare athletes adequately for the fourth edition of World Deaf Athletics Championships. We will reschedule them, as soon as we receive the new dates of the Poland’s event,” Okiki told Nation Sport.
Most of the deaf athletes have been training individually at different venues across the country, as they seek to make the cut to the team that will represent Kenya at the global event.
Kenya’s head coach, Samuel Kibet, urged the athletes not to lose focus, as it will work to their advantage, when the selection is done after the pandemic has been contained.
“As we wait for better days to come, when the competitions will take place, it is important for the athletes to keep shape, by maintaining individual training,” said Kibet.
DAAK intends to field athletes in 16 events in the fourth edition of World Deaf Athletics Championships.
