By Kingsley Samuel
Catholic University of Eastern Africa, CUEA, and Strathmore University have secured six relay squad slots in the finals of the Open Lanes Varsity Invitational after emerging from a competitive two-day knockout stage in Nairobi, Kenya.
The qualifying squads will join Kenyatta University at the grand finale scheduled for October 3, 2026, at the Nyayo National Stadium, where some of Kenya’s university runners will compete for the championship title.
The remaining final slots will be decided next week when teams from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, JKUAT, University of Nairobi and Riara University meet in the last qualification round.
Beyond competing for the championship, four outstanding student-athletes at the tournament will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa to participate in the country’s elite running circuit.
The opportunity is expected to expose the athletes to a different competitive environment and provide experience beyond the university athletics circuit.
Speaking during the knockout stage, Director of Africa at On, Navalayo Osembo, said the competition was gathering momentum as more university teams secured their places in the final.
“We are seeing the competition come to life as more teams secure their places at the finals,” Osembo said.
“The energy and competitiveness we have experienced so far is what we had hoped for, and as we close this phase next week for the remaining varsities, we expect the race to the finals to be even more intense.”
On has been expanding its engagement with Kenya’s running community through partnerships with athletes and local running groups, including We Run Nairobi.
In 2025, both organisations held a community run at Windsor Golf Club, attracting more than 500 runners.
The company has also partnered with Kenyan athletes, including Hellen Obiri, Patrick Kipngeno and Mercy Chepngeno, as part of efforts to support African athletes across different disciplines and stages of their careers.
It recently expanded its African athlete roster with the signing of South African 400 metres runner and World U20 champion, Lythe Pillay.
According to the company, its growing presence on the continent is focused on building an ecosystem around movement and storytelling while creating opportunities for young athletes to compete, connect and gain greater exposure.
It added that Kenya remains an important market in its African expansion, given the country’s strong sporting culture and growing population of young athletes.
