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Tag: Kip Keino Classic continental Tour

  • Olympic champion Katzberg to defend his Kip Keino Classic title next month

    Olympic champion Katzberg to defend his Kip Keino Classic title next month

    Canadian Olympic hammer throw champion Ethan Katzberg is set to make a return to Kenya for the Seventh Kip Keino Classic World Continental Tour, which will take place at Nyayo Stadium on the 24th of next month.

    Katzberg, who is also a two-time world champion, will be keen to defend his last year’s Kip Keino Classic title when he set a world lead of 82.73 m, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex before he successfully defended his world title in Tokyo, Japan.

    According to the meet director, Barnaba Korir, the event has attracted top track and field athletes, with more spectators expected to attend, as it returns to its traditional Nyayo Stadium, which has undergone a major overhaul.

    “The Kip Keino Classic continues to attract the very best athletes globally, with this year’s edition expected to deliver even stronger competition as international stars line up alongside Kenya’s finest in front of a home crowd. I would also like to announce the confirmation of one of the top athletes from Canada who has done so well before. He is an Olympic champion and also a world champion. Ethan Katzberg will be participating in Nairobi here. He is actually one of the best athletes so far to have confirmed, and we have half of the expected athletes confirmed.” said the meet director

    He also revealed that officials from the Inter continental Meet are expected in the country next week to assess the newly renovated Nyayo stadium in readiness for the one-day championship.

    “You know, last year we had a very difficult moment because there were no stadiums, and the government worked very closely with Athletics Kenya to make sure that we were successful using alternative sports grounds. However, we don’t want to go that route; that’s why we are starting early. And that’s why I went to Europe to go and pay this bill to come and survey and make sure that it is certified weeks before the championship.” Korir stated

    The Kip Keino Classic, which was incorporated in the World Athletics calendar as a gold label event in 2020, has also been a major promoter of sports tourism for the country.

    “We are all aware that the main selling point for Kenya originally was tourism. But along the line, the athletes have done more than even the tourism as far as enhancing the name of this country is concerned. Practically, across the globe, every human being understands where Kenya is and what Kenya does.” Korir continued.

    Athletics Kenya will also use the meet to prepare its athletes who will compete at the World Relays set for Gaborone, Botswana, between 2nd and 3rd May this year.

    Kenya’s meet will be the 2nd of the newly expanded 11 gold meets, which will open with the Maurie Plant event in Australia between the 27th and 28th this month.

  • Teen sensation Walaza to take on Omanyala at Kip Keino Classic

    Teen sensation Walaza to take on Omanyala at Kip Keino Classic

    Bayanda Walaza, a 19-year-old South African sprinter, has already made global headlines for his incredible performance, collecting five gold.

    Fresh from clocking his personal best of 9.94 seconds at the Zagreb continental tour last weekend, Walaza is in town for the sixth  Absa Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour at the Ulinzi Sports Complex.

    The speedster  began his international career winning bronze in 100m at the 2023 Africa Under-18 Championships in Ndola, Zambia.

    In 2024, he competed in his first Olympics in Paris, where he was a member of the 4x100m men’s team that won silver.

    In 2024, he competed in his first Olympics in Paris, where he was a member of the 4x100m men’s team that won silver.

    He is in Nairobi for the Kip Keino meet, full of confidence after helping South Africa win gold in the 4x100m relay at the World Relays in Guangzhou, China, earlier this month.

    Bayanda Walanza at the Ulinzi Sports Complex ahead of Saturday’s Kip Keino Classic

    On Saturday Walaza will take on Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala,the darling of the home spectators who will be keen to make amends after disappointing them last year when he finished outside the podium positions.

    Omanayala has a season best of 10.00, which he set at the Botswana Grand Prix.

    Mark Otieno of Kenya, Claude ITOUNGUE of Cameroon, Shaun Maswanganyi of South Africa, American Elijah Hall, and Australian Lachan Kennedy are also competing in the 100m dash.

    The race will be the final event on Saturday’s schedule, beginning at 5:52pm.

  • Moraa retains Kip Keino title with meeting record

    Moraa retains Kip Keino title with meeting record

    Reigning World Champion Mary Moraa set a meeting record record of 1:57. 96, to retain her 800m title at the 5th edition of the Kip Keino Classic on Saturday at Nyayo stadium.

    Moraa beat a star studded field to emerge the winner ahead of Nelly Chepchirchir and Vivian Chebet who ensured a Kenyan clean podium sweep in 2rd and 3rd positions respectively .

    “Am happy for my time and win today which serves as a big motivation as I head to Bahamas for the World Relays,it is also part of preparation for the Olympics. ”

  • 5th Kip Keino Classic attracts Olympic and World medalists

    5th Kip Keino Classic attracts Olympic and World medalists

    The 5th edition of the Kip Keino Classic World Continental tour set for April 20th at the Nyayo National stadium, has attracted  olympic and world medalists in both field and track events.

    Sports PS Peter Tum who graced the event reiterated the government’s commitment to make this year’s edition a success.

    “This event is important to the Ministry of Sports. From where I sit, the future of Kenyan sports is bright and that’s why we want to support events such as these.We will continue to support the Kip Keino Classic in a big way,” the PS said.

    Speaking during the launch Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei revealed the plans to upgrade the Kenyan meet to a Diamond League ,which if granted will be the second in Africa after Rabat’s event.

    “We are calling on everyone to come and watch the Kip Keino Classic. This is the only race of its kind in Africa. There will be fireworks in this place (Nyayo) on that Saturday as athletes compete, .To organise an event of such calibre for five editions is not easy. I want to thank the organising committee for the hard work they have put in to make this event a success for the past five editions. A big thank you to the government for their support and the ideas they have provided us, which we have included in the planning for this competition,” Tuwei said.

    Kenyan meet which will be the 2nd among this year’s 11 series of the world continental tour gold label, will see a rekindled rivalry in the 100m between commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala who will be out to defend his title against last year’s 1st runners up and olympic silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek of USA .

    The meet Director Barnaba Korir urged Kenyans to turn out in numbers to support local athletes .

    “Those are the athletes who will be competing and we ask all Kenyans to come and fill the stadium so that we can have a memorable event even as we think of how to host bigger events in the future,” Korir said.

    “We have talked to World Athletics and they have said the track is in accordance with the standards and only needs minor repairs. That is what we are undertaking and then we will be good to go,” Korir added.

    Olympic 200m silver medalist Christine Mboma from Namibia,reigning world 800m champion Mary Moraa and world 800m silver medalist have confirmed participation.

    2016 olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler of Germany will battle African record holder Julius Yego while Olympics hammer throw champion Wojciech Nowicki will face the 2022 World hammer throw champion Pavel Fajdeck both from Poland.

    ABSA bank Kenya committed sh 40 million towards the organisation of this year’s event which is the 2nd in the world continental gold tour meetings after Croatia championship which was held on 15th February .

    The bank’s Consumer Banking director Moses Muthui said Absa’s sponsorship of the event is in line with its longstanding passion for sports.

    “Absa believes in supporting Kenyan sports. Over the past 10 years, we have invested over Ksh 1.2 billion in sports including golf, athletics and football, among others. We remain committed to this endeavour because we believe your story matters,” Muthui said.

    Kenyan meet is divided into three categories of national, discretionary and ultimate core events The ultimate core events which will run from 2pm include 100m for men and women,200m men,400m hurdles women,800m for both men and women and hammer throw for men and women.

    This year’s edition will be held at Nyayo Stadium since the first one in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Kip Keino Classic is making a return to Nyayo stadium which hosted the inaugural edition in 2020 amidst the COVID 19 pandemic due to the ongoing renovations at Kasarani stadium

  • Omanyala to renew rivalry with Bednarek at the 5th Kip Keino Classic

    Omanyala to renew rivalry with Bednarek at the 5th Kip Keino Classic

    Olympic 200m silver medalists Kenny Bednarek of USA and Christine Mboma of Namibia and World 100m Silver medalist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana are among the top sprinters who have confirmed their participation at the 5th edition of Kip Keino Classic Continental tour set for Nyayo stadium on 20th of this month.

    Bednarek will be competing in kenya for a third time in row and finished 2nd in 100m during last year’s edition behind reigning Commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala with the two set to renew their rivalry ,while Tebogo will compete in Kenya for the 1st time since winning gold medal at the world u 20 athletics championships which was held in Nairobi in 2021.

    According to the event director Barnaba Korir, preparations are almost complete with foreign athletes expected in the country from this weekend.

    Korir revealed that Athletics Kenya has already applied for the upgrading of the continental tour to a Diamond league meet with country already meeting set standards.

    Kenyan meet is divided into National, discretionary and Core events.

    The ultimate core events which will run from 2pm include 100m for men and women,200m men,400m hurdles women,800m for both men and women and hammer throw for men and women.

    This year’s Kip Keino Classic Continental tour will be the 2nd stop for the gold label series after Melbourne Australia on 15th February,with the season set to conclude on 8th September in Zagreb,Croatia with the 11th meet.