Twenty Tanzanian athletes depart for Nairobi today to take part in the 17th edition of the African Senior Athletics Championship that gets underway tomorrow.

The tournament, which will be held in Kenya for the first time, is important for the athletes who have not yet qualified for the October Commonwealth Games.

Out of a contingent of 20 runners, only six managed to attain the set club Games standards during the National Athletics Championship.

According to the organisers, the tournament would also provide a perfect platform for budding athletes.

The biannual track and field championship will also be used to select the African team that will participate in the IAAF World Championship slated for Croatia.

"I have full confidence in the athletes that we are taking to this championship as they went through rigorous training till yesterday (Monday)," said the athletics Tanzania secretary general, Suleiman Nyambui.

Nyambui said four players left for Nairobi on Sunday while the rest will travel in two groups.

However, the legendary runner failed to disclose names of those who left.

"What I know is that some of the players are already there and others will travel tomorrow," he said.

Last year, Kenya finished fourth after hauling 16 medals - five gold, five silver and six bronze - in Addis Ababa.