Athletics Africa Magazine

Ernest Obeng, International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)'s head of broadcasting rounded up his visit to the country with a tour of the Kasarani stadium and and gave the Local Organising Committee thumbs-up.

Stephen Mokoka is already eyeing up another Great Run appearance after his brilliant second place at the Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth on Sunday. Mokoka despite winning the Bupa Great North 10km in July came to the 20th staging of the south coast event relatively unknown even after finishing eighth in the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships a fortnight earlier. But the 23-year-old was quietly confident of his ability and it took a superhuman display from Britain's Mo Farah to snatch the race when winning by just a second in a very fast time of 46 minutes 25 seconds. Mokoka despite missing what would have been the biggest victory of his career was delighted after setting the fastest time ever achieved by a South African athlete over the 10 miles distance. The sports management student from Pretoria admitted he was amazed at the high profile stature of the Bupa Great South Run and his reception from everyone he met during his stay in Pompey. Mokoka is now considering running ...

According to the South African Daily News , The chairman of Parliament's sports portfolio committee, Butana Komphela, has vowed to ensure that Dr Harold Adams, the doctor for the South African team at the world athletics championships in Berlin, is removed as one of President Jacob Zuma's doctors. Komphela made the threat after Athletics South Africa (ASA) appeared before the portfolio committee to explain its handling of the Caster Semenya sex-testing controversy. Adams arranged the initial gender tests on Semenya and later cautioned the athletics body against letting Semenya race after obtaining results of the tests which allegedly showed that the 800m athlete had three times more testosterone than a normal female. Read More

The ANC Caster Semenya Support Task Team, in a press statement released today, has requested an urgent meeting with the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to express our outrage in the manner in which IAAF has handled the Caster Semenya matter and furthermore, to find an amicable solution to this matter and thus its closure. During the meeting the ANC will advise the IAAF to publicly and unconditionally apologise to Caster Semenya and her family, to the South African President, the honourable Jacob Zuma and the entire nation for the violation of Caster's rights, the humiliation, injustice and pain she continues to suffer. The mishandling of her gender verification processes and its aftermath, also affected the country and indeed, the entire leadership of the country, negatively. The Task Team will also advise the IAAF to declare the gender verification tests results conducted both in South Africa and Berlin null and void. These tests were not conducted in keep...

Boston Champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Salina Kosgei are late additions to the November 1 ING New York City Marathon. This follows the withdrawal of past ‘Big Apple’ champions; Paul Tergat (men) and Jelena Prokopcuka (women) from the race, according to communication from organisers. Making the announcement, New York Road Runners president and CEO, Mary Wittenberg said, "Like all Boston Marathon winners, Robert and Salina are proven champions. They’ll both be looking to join the elite few who’ve become champions of both races." Cheruiyot, 31, last competed in New York City in 2005, finishing fourth in 2:11:01. A four-time Boston Marathon champion (2003, ‘06-08), Cheruiyot is the Boston course-record holder (2:07:14, his personal best). Continue reading here

According to the Feverpitch Reporter , renowned Kenyan athletics coaches, David Koskei and Gregory Kilonzo, who has coached among others, Olympics 800m champion, Pamela Jelimo, have been banned by the Athletics Kenya (AK) with athletes who train under them no longer eligible to compete. Making the announcement on the sidelines of unveiling the 2009/2010 athletics calendar yesterday, AK chief, Isaiah Kiplagat, also stressed the federation is the custodian of rules governing training camps. "The governing council has decided to close Kiptenden Athletics Club and also removed Kilonzo and Koskei from the roll of coaches. We are wielding the stick and these two are example to others. Continue reading here