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Today, I turn a new page in as far as my athletics column is concerned. And as I reflect on the activities that have been 2019, I want to avoid setting new resolutions like everyone else.
This is because in athletics, it's all about performance and you are either ready or not.
For us at Athletics Kenya, the last month's Athletes Conference was an eye opener and we want to do things differently this year.
While some subjects were not new to our athletes during the conference, doping lessons were taken to a whole new level and we hope things will change.
But all the same, AK will play its role and work closely with Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya and the Athletics Integrity Unit as it has been the case in the last couple of years. Athletes have been equipped with the necessary knowledge, thanks to the Athletes Conference, and it’s up to them to do the right thing or suffer the consequences.
But that aside, 2020 will be a busy year for AK with two key events on the card. At the moment, we need to change gears in as far as the preparations for the 2020 World Under-20 Championships in July are concerned and immediately after that, it will be time for us to fly Kenya's flag in Tokyo, Japan.
Prior to the Summer Olympic Games, we will have our trials in Eldoret and that too calls for proper preparations considering these are similar to mini-Olympics.
That, plus cross country series which is already ongoing, makes our 2020 season cut-throat.
However, I would be doing athletics fraternity a disservice by not reflecting our achievements in 2019 too. I do not need to over emphasize what our hero Eliud Kipchoge did in Vienna when he became the first man to run under two hours in marathon.
Brigid Kosgei added to the history less than 24 hours later by breaking 16-year-old women's world marathon record previously held by Briton Paula Radcliffee by more than one and a half minutes in Chicago.
At the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus and World championships in Doha, we also stood side by side with athletics super powers. Our athletes were also not left behind at the Diamond League meetings, where they dominated their respective events.
Our only minus was the axing of some of our specialties from the Diamond League but we hope something will still be done. Finally, allow me to wish the athletics fraternity a happy and successful year, 2020.
