Sprint’s set to light up Kip Keino Classic as Radio Africa journalists to compete
Homegrown and Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is among the notable athlete's that will grace the Kip Keino Classic World tour at Kasarani.
After the long wait, the third edition of the Kip Keino Classic is finally here with the arrival of all star attractions, making Saturday May 7, a day to savour.
With action expected to start at 12:35pm, all eyes and adrenaline will be saved for 4:04 PM when core events begin.
It will be the Women 100m event with Jamaican star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce expected to light up the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani.
The potential thriller brings together a 35-year old sprinting legend and fast rising star, Christine Mboma who both have history to write and targets to set.
Mboma is an Olympic silver medallist in the 200 metres and a World U-20 champion in the distance, they however will be clashing in the 100M.
Kenya’s Maximilla Imali is the dark horse in this rich field of athletes having broken the national record on April 28 (11.35) Fraser-Pryce has is already a legend in the sprints with three Olympic gold medals and 10 world titles.
Another Olympic rematch will be in the men’s 100 metres as Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs (9.80) meets USA’s Fred Kerley(9.76) and Africa’s fastest human Ferdinand Omanyala (9.77).
Jacobs and Kerley won gold and silver respectively in Tokyo and this will be a perfect warm up for the Oregon World Athletics Championships.
The two will however be warry of local boy Omanyala who ran 9.9 seconds during the Athletics Kenya National Championships held at the same venue on April 27.
Omanyala has predicted a 9.6 or 9.7 race on Africa’s fastest track urging local fans to fill the 60,000 seater stadia.
The field events will also be a thrill to watch with the men’s hammer throw an event not to miss. Poland duo of Wojciech Nowicki and Pawel Fajdek will set Kasarani ablaze in the event. Fajdek is the reigning world champion while Nowicki is the current Olympic champion.
The women’s event will also see the current Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk expected to give out a good account of herself.
Soufiane El Bakkali is missing in the 3000 metres steeplechase and it will be a Kenyan affair in the men’s race. Amos Serem, Conseslus Kipruto, Benjamin Kigen and Olympic silver medalist Abraham Kibiwot will battle out for top honors.
Peruth Jemutai of Uganda will be up against the likes of Norah Jeruto (Kazakhstan) and Kenya’s Cellphine Chespol.
At 17:31, the focus will shift to the men’s 800 metres where national champion Noah Kibet will battle out with Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
