Kenaz Kaniwete Ready to Represent Kiribati on the World Stage

Kiribati sprint sensation Kenaz Kaniwete will take his place on the 100m start line at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (13–21 September 2025),

Kaniwete already holds an extraordinary list of national records. He is the U18, U20, and Open 100m and 400m record holder for Kiribati, and has rewritten the books in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. At the recent Pacific Mini Games, he stunned the region by breaking four national records, including becoming the first Kiribati man to run under 11 seconds in the 100m.

His journey began with inspiration from one of the sport’s biggest names. “The person who inspired me to start competing was Usain Bolt. I used to watch his videos all day, and his motivation was very effective for me. That’s why I wanted to do athletics too,” Kaniwete explained.

Now, he gets to live out his dream of representing Kiribati and the Pacific at the World Athletics Championships “By representing my country and the Pacific, it means a lot to me because this is what I’ve been dreaming of,” he said.

Kaniwete has prepared well for Tokyo, with strong training blocks fueling his excitement for competition. “My training before the World Athletics Championships was very good. I’ve been enjoying it and I’m very excited to go out there and compete,” he said. “The biggest challenge in my preparation is to push myself to the next level.”

His focus is clear: to keep raising the bar. “My goals for this upcoming World Athletics Championship in Tokyo is to focus on my personal best, to make sure I run better than my old record, and I’m aiming for a new national record,” Kaniwete stated.

Off the track, he is also looking forward to witnessing some of the sport’s brightest stars in action. “The athletes I really want to watch are Letsile Tebogo, Kenny Bednarek, and Noah Lyles,” he said.

And to the next generation of Pacific athletes, Kaniwete offers simple but powerful advice: “Do not give up. Focus on your goals and believe in yourself.”

As he takes his mark in Tokyo, Kenaz Kaniwete is not only chasing faster times, but also inspiring a new wave of sprinting talent across Kiribati and the Pacific.

You can catch the 100m
11:23 100m Preliminary Round – 13 September
20:35 100m Heats – 13 September*
20:43 100m Semi-Finals – 14th September*
22:13 100m Finals – 14th September
*Pending Progressions

More information about the World Athletics Championships

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