World Athletics Under-20 Championships get underway in Nairobi

After being postponed for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Athletics Under-20 Championship finally started on Wednesday morning in Nairobi at the Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani.

Much like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that concluded earlier this month, for a time it seemed as if the games would fall through as the pandemic continued to ravage Kenya, the region and the world at large.

Despite efforts at making the meet a success, several leading nations will be absent because of the pandemic. The United States, UK, Australia, Japan and Germany, who formed half of the top 10 on the medals table when the event was last staged in 2018, have not sent a team to the Kenyan capital.

Another major heartbreak surrounding the event has been the decision to hold it behind closed doors with no fans in the stands.

Speaking during the colourful opening ceremony for the event on Tuesday, Sebastian Coe, World Athletics president, thanked the government of Kenya and the local organizing committee for enabling the global athletics body to deliver the second largest athletics track and field gathering this year after the Tokyo Olympics.

"The presence of the World Athletics in Nairobi for the Under-20 Championship is a huge tribute to the resilience and fortitude that has been displayed by Kenya in allowing us to deliver the championship to the world," Coe said.

Organizers say that to keep the games safe, they have come up with zoning plans, including green, amber and red. Those in the green zone will stay in a bubble, whereas those in the amber zone are allowed to go back home to their families. However, they will have to be tested every day before accessing the venue.