Athletics continues to find new ways to connect with future generations beyond tracks and major international championships. Through Kids’ Athletics Day, World Athletics has transformed sport into a tool for inclusion, movement, and learning for millions of children around the world. In 2026, the initiative celebrates its fifth anniversary with a global campaign aiming to inspire more than 700,000 young people to take part in sports activities, raising the total number of participants since its creation to a figure close to two million.

Since its launch in 2022, Kids’ Athletics has expanded into schools, clubs, and communities across different continents with a proposal centered on play, creativity, and universal access to sport. Each edition has introduced new themes and dynamics designed to bring athletics closer to children from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. This year, the campaign revolves around the number five, celebrating both the initiative’s anniversary and the impact accumulated over time. More than a competition, the project seeks to create positive experiences around physical activity and strengthen young people’s connection with sport from an early age.

Botswana turns athletics into an unforgettable experience for children

The start of the campaign featured one of its most symbolic moments in Botswana, where Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo joined 50 local children in activities organized ahead of the World Athletics Relays Debswana Gaborone 26. In his role as a Kids’ Athletics ambassador, Tebogo shared movement-based exercises and relay-inspired challenges with the children, bringing the experience of elite athletics closer to younger generations in a warm and motivating way.

The Botswana Athletics Association also organized a children’s festival for more than 400 kids around the National Stadium, later allowing them to attend the World Relays thanks to tickets provided by World Athletics and the local organizing committee. Some of the children even had the unique opportunity to enter the track as baton carriers during the official presentations of the 4x400m finals. In an atmosphere filled with excitement, the children shared greetings, photos, and memorable moments with international athletics stars, turning the event into a deeply inspiring experience.

Uganda leads a global campaign uniting sport, education, and community

As the campaign advances across different parts of the world, Uganda has emerged as the country with the highest level of participation so far. In just six days of activities, more than 37,000 children took part in 22 events organized nationwide, highlighting the strong commitment of local federations to the development of children’s athletics. Behind Uganda are nations such as Benin, Brazil, Kenya, and Venezuela, all of which have also inspired thousands of young people through recreational competitions, school festivals, and community activities adapted to different age groups.

The reach of the project is also reflected in initiatives developed in China and Portugal. In the Chinese city of Linfen, 700 children participated in a full-day sports festival that included obstacle races and recreational activities integrated into a broader provincial sports week. In Portugal, more than 3,500 children joined events organized by schools and clubs, complemented by workshops for teachers and coaches, as well as activities linked to recycling and sustainability. At the same time, World Athletics continues expanding access to the program through the launch of the Kids’ Athletics app, a free digital tool designed to facilitate the implementation of athletics activities in communities worldwide.