Kenya's richest half marathon that will act as the qualifying race for Kenyans aiming to compete in the IAAF / EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, UK on the 11th of October will take place in Nairobi on the 24th of next month.

Previously the Kenyan team was selected solely on the strength of results achieved in international races outside the country.

The race that was launched by the 1987 World Marathon champion and 1988 Seoul Olympic silver medallist Douglas Wakiihuri last week is also aimed at attracting foreign runners and encouraging the country's best to compete in domestic events and will take place in the Nairobi National Park.

Winners in men and women's races will take home approximately 1.2 million Kenya shillings.

Wakiihuri won the London Marathon in 1989 and in 1990 became the New York Marathon champion, the year in which he also became Commonwealth Games champion.

In 1995, Wakiihuri also triumphed at the World Marathon Cup in Athens, Greece.