Sports

Kenyan juniors begin Oregon training camp ahead of World U20 Championships

By NowinAfrica Editorial Board • August 7, 2026 • Sports

Young distance runners training on a red athletics track at a large stadium under clear morning light.

Kenya’s junior athletics squad has begun a training camp in the US state of Oregon ahead of the World Athletics U20 Championships, according to KBC Digital. The group has travelled to the Pacific Northwest to fine-tune their preparations on the eve of the biennial global age-group competition.

Oregon, and Eugene in particular, has become closely associated with elite track and field in recent years. The city is home to Hayward Field, the historic University of Oregon venue that hosted the World Athletics Championships and now serves as a magnet for distance runners seeking high-quality facilities and a temperate summer climate. For Kenyan juniors, who typically train at elevation in the country’s Rift Valley around Iten and Eldoret, Oregon offers a contrasting set of conditions — flatter terrain, cooler air and access to world-class synthetic surfaces — that can serve as a useful adjustment in the final weeks of preparation.

Kenya has long been one of the dominant forces in junior distance running. The country regularly sends large delegations to the World U20 Championships, formerly known as the World Junior Championships, and has historically performed strongly in the 1500 metres, 5000 metres and 3000 metres steeplechase. Several senior Kenyan champions, including Olympic and world medallists, first announced themselves on the global stage as teenagers at the competition, making the age-group event a key proving ground for the next generation of middle- and long-distance talent.

The training block in Oregon is intended to give the athletes time to acclimatise, sharpen race tactics and absorb the demands of a major championship before travelling to the host venue, as KBC Digital reported.