Athletics Kenya president Lt Gen (Rtd) Jackson Tuwei believes Kenya’s pursuit of global sporting excellence must go hand in hand with protecting the environment, arguing that athletes need healthy surroundings to train and compete at their best.Tuwei made the connection between sport and environmental conservation in Copenhagen, Denmark, where Athletics Kenya signed the Sports for Nature Framework alongside UNEP, SEI Africa and the Landscape Alliance.##NAJAVA_MECA_9968580##With Kenya set to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi, Tuwei said the country has an opportunity to show how major sporting events can deliver both sporting and environmental benefits.“This signing comes just two days after Kenya was named host of the 2029 World Athletics Championships,” Tuwei said, as quoted by Athletics Kenya media. “We look forward to working with the Sports for Nature network to make these Championships a model for sustainable sporting events, while creating a lasting, positive legacy for nature and communities.”For Tuwei, environmental conservation is not separate from elite performance. He pointed to the demands of modern distance running, where athletes spend years preparing for races in conditions that can significantly affect performance.STARS ABROAD: Kenyan midfielder features for Charlton Athletic in English Championship“Athletics has always been about more than competition. It is about people, communities, health and the environments in which we live and train,” he said.He cited recent marathon performances as examples of the level athletes can reach when preparation and competition conditions are favourable.At last year’s World Athletics Championships, Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir won the women’s marathon in 2:24:43, edging Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa by two seconds.At the 2026 TCS London Marathon, Sebastian Sawe clocked 1:59:30, Yomif Kejelcha 1:59:41 and Jacob Kiplimo 2:00:28 in a remarkable race that saw three athletes finish around the two-hour mark.Patrick Matasi recalls tough six months waiting to make AFC Leopards debutTuwei said performances of that magnitude are built on years of training and sacrifice, but athletes also require suitable environments to translate their preparation into results.“To achieve such results, athletes need near-perfect conditions to support training and competition. Preserving and protecting nature is one way to ensure that these conditions remain favourable,” he said.The Sports for Nature partnership will focus on areas including air quality, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection and agroforestry. Athletics Kenya also plans to involve athletes and young people in environmental conservation initiatives.Tuwei believes the influence of sport extends well beyond stadiums and finish lines, with athletes and sporting events capable of encouraging communities to adopt more sustainable practices.“Every race, every training session and every sporting event presents an opportunity to promote respect for nature, reduce environmental impacts and build healthier communities,” he said.Motsepe reveals when CAF will step in to mediate FKF leadership wrangles