For a larger part of Tuesday morning, the stunning, five-star Dorothea Hotel off the banks of the Danube could have been mistaken for The Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, traditional host of the Papal Conclave.
The 216-room hotel, conjured up by Italian designer Piero Lissoni and named after Archduchess Dorothea who, alongside husband Palatine Joseph, is known for her massive contribution to Budapest’s economic development, the Dorothea is the epitome of upscale gastronomy and power conclaves.
That’s where the World Athletics Council conclave is holed, and from where they are expected to, hopefully, release the “white smoke” and declare “habemus” for a Nairobi World Championship.
In the build-up to the eagerly anticipated announcement of Africa’s groundbreaking World Championships, global track superstars have rallied their support for Nairobi’s bid and also expressed their desire to visit Kenya and sample the country’s unmatched hospitality.
While Olympic 200 metres champion Letsile Tebogo and South Africa’s legendary former Africa and Commonwealth champion Akani Simbine have been forthright in their support for Nairobi’s bid, Jamaican legend Usain Bolt, world record holder in both the 100m and 200m, and USA’s 200m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas have both expressed their desire to return to the African continent after memorable cameos over different periods.’
USA's Kenny Bednarek and Botswana's Letsile Tebogo in action at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest last weekend. Both Bednarek and Tebogo have both backed an African World Championship. (Photo / Mattia Ozbot / World Athletics via Getty Images)
Four Cities in the Running
The quartet spoke with Pura Vida Sports Africa at the just-concluded inaugural World Athletics Continental Tour in Budapest with both Simbine and Tebogo saying “a Kenyan win is a win for Africa.”
World Athletics’ Council will on Tuesday (September 15) pick the hosts for the 2029 and 2031 World Championships after a series of meetings at the Dorothea.
Besides Nairobi, the three European cities of London, Munich and Rome are also angling to host the global competition in 2029 and 2031, with Tokyo the next hosts of the biennial championship next year.
Tebogo won his first major global title at the World Under-20 Championships at Kasarani in 2021 and relishes another opportunity to race at “The Home of Heroes” should Nairobi’s bid be successful.
“I’ve enjoyed Kasarani, the Home of Heroes…. I’ve enjoyed every moment there, and I’ve enjoyed each and every race that I ran there and I believe Kenya would be a great host for the 2029 World Championships,” Tebogo pitched.
“If you look backwards, everybody’s career started at Kasarani – even before us (World Under-18 Championships in 2017) there was another group that ran in Kasarani and they have a story to tell.”
“I pray and hope that we don’t have to travel far, just an hour or so (to Nairobi) flight… Let other people feel how it is to travel long distances to compete. I hope and pray that Kenya wins the bid because if Kenya wins, Africa has won the bid.”
Former Africa and Commonwealth champion Akani Simbine signs autographs after the 100 metres final of the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary last weekend. Simbine has been vocal about the need for an African track and field tour and a World Championship on the continent. (Photo / Nick Bothma / Atheltisc South Africa)
Both Tebogo and Simbine have also welcomed the idea of an African track and field tour organized in the format of the Diamond League, with Simbine actually leading from the front by organizing his own “Simbine Classic” that made its debut on the World Athletics Continental Tour in May this year.
Meetings in Nairobi, Gaborone and Addis Ababa are high on the menu of the proposed African tour that could start as early as next year.
‘Africa Must be United’
“First and foremost is for us African countries to come together and be united. There shouldn’t be any difference in between, weather it be by country of anything, there shouldn’t be that difference between us. We need to be united to show people that we can do it. Even though we have our personal goals, we should remain united as Africa and upgrade the little we have in Africa and just put it out there, and let Africa be Africa,” Tebogo rallied.
“I believe there should be a ‘Diamond League’ coming to Africa because Africa has hosted so many great events and there is still more to happen in Africa,. I believe World Athletics is watching how we host our events.”
Once Africa’s fastest man before being stripped of the title by Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, the veteran Simbine, 32, is slowly transitioning to management with his company behind the Simbine Classic in Pretoria that will be an integral part of the African tour.
He believes its time for Africa to rise up and organize high-level one-day meetings. “Definitely it’s time for Africa to showcase Africa to the world and it’s good that the world is giving us an opportunity. The fact that we are getting a chance to have an African circuit is good, so it’s not just the European circuit, but athletes can come to Africa, race against the best and get prize money.
“It’s great to be part of it. This year I had my own meet (Simbine Classic) which was a big thing for me that took the majority of my entire year just to make sure the meet is a success and now we have to work in conjunction with other African meets.
Former sprinter Usain Bolt poses for a photo on the red carpet ahead of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship at National Athletics Centre on September 10, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. Bolt is keen on making another tour of Africa, 17 years since his Nairobi visit. (Photo by Maja Hitij / World Athletics via Getty Images)
Chance to Showcase Africa
“Next year the circuit will be up and running and I’m pretty confident. It’s happening, it’s gonna be exciting and it’s exciting to be part of the planning – it’s time for Africa.”
Simbine sees the circuit as complementing Africa’s efforts to host the World Championships and other major competitions. “Once we take this step as a continent, having our own circuit and we do it successfully, the championship has to come to Africa, and then we will get the chance to showcase Africa – the beauty and fact that we can host other countries.
“There are a lot of things that are being said about Africa… how Africa is bad, how Africa is a third-world continent, but that’s not it. When you come to Africa you see that we are developed and everything they have in the western world, we also have in Africa… we do what they do and even do it better. Botswana (World Relays) just showed us that we can do it better and we can bring a very huge atmosphere. The world loved it when they came to Botswana.”
Meanwhile, US sprinter Gabby Thomas, who also holds a degree in neurobiology from Harvard University and a master's degree in epidemiology, relishes competing again in Kenya after making her debut on African soil at this year’s Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.
“I had so much fun (in Nairobi)… That (Kip Keino Classic) was definitely one of my favourite meetings this season. Being in Nairobi – it was my first time there – I loved the city, I loved the competition, I loved the stadium and I ran very well there so I’ve got to go back!”
Bolt, Bednarek look Forward to Nairobi Return
Recently engaged Bolt also made a cameo in Kenya some 17 years back in 2009, not to run, but on a promotional tour with the Zeitz Foundation whose owner, Jochen Zeitz, at the time, was sportswear manufacturers Puma’s CEO.
Puma have been Bolt’s lifelong kitting sponsors.
It was during the famous tour that Bolt adopted an orphaned cheetah at the Nairobi Orphanage, named it “Lightning Bolt” and undertook to finance the feline’s maintenance.
Gabby Thomas pips Cambrea Sturgis to win the 100 metres title at this year's Kip Keino Classic at Nairobi's Nyayo National Stadium. Thomas describes Nairobi as one of her favourites meets this season. (Photo / Kip Keino Classic)
Answering Pura Vida Sports Africa’s question on whether he would like to return to Nairobi, while not directly touching on Nairobi’s 2029/31 bid, Bolt said: “I keep telling my fiancée – I don’t call her my girlfriend anymore, I’ve got to get used to that – that we need to do different things. Africa is on my list, to try different countries - but what she wants because it’s never me – but definitely there are plans (for a Kenyan visit) in the making.”
At the weekend, USA’s Kenny Bednarek who won a 100m/200m double at the Ultimate Championship here in Budapest said he had fond memories of competing in Nairobi at the annual Kip Keino Classic and would love to see the World Championships in Nairobi.
“I love that event (Nairobi’s Kip Keino Classic)… I haven’t been there for a minute, but last time I got the better of Omanyala and I was happy with the win. I love going out there (to Nairobi)… I love the culture, I love the people. Every single time I go out there I go for the safari tour. I was to one of the villages one time it was pretty much fun. Kenya is one of the spots that I love going to because there is so much history there and so much culture.”
On Nairobi’s 2029/31 World Championship bid, he reacted: “That would actually be nice. For sure. Whenever you guys can get it done, get it done!”
Nairobi is waiting. Africa is pregnant with the expectation of its first World Athletics Championship.
elias.makori@ymail.com
