Absa Kip Keino Classic: 189 Athletes Set To Battle For Glory At Ulinzi Sports Complex 

_{By Erick Nzioka}

NAIROBI, Kenya- The sixth edition of  Absa Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour Gold Series slated for Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on May 31 has attracted 189 athletes from across the globe.

On Tuesday, Kenyan Government pumped in Sh300 million to support the event as Absa Bank Kenya comes in with Sh60 million as title sponsors for the 2025 edition of the championship.

World 800m women’s champion Mary Moraa and men’s 100m continental record holder Ferdinand Omanyala are expected to spearhead Kenya’s assault in the looming showdown.

The duo will lead other 53 Kenyan athletes in prestigious global  showpiece where neighbors Ethiopia have entered a strong contingent of 31 participants.

World  Indoor women’s 60m dash champion Kambundji Mujinga of Switzerland, who will make her maiden appearance in the athletics extravaganza, is among the star studded cast from outside Africa who will be at Ulinzi to look for glory.

Other world beaters in the mix expected to pump adrenaline in the challenge include Jerome Blake (Canada), Bayanda Walaza (South Africa), Joseph Fahnbulleh (Liberia), Filipo Tortu (Italy),  Alana Reid (Jamaica), Kennedy  Lacham ( Australia) and Elijah Hall (US) among others. Meet Tour Director Barnaba Korir hailed the growth of the championship saying its first edition, held at the historic Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi in 2020, is what inspired Kenya’s qualification of three sprint events at the forthcoming World Championship in Tokyo, Japan slated for September.

“Kip Keino Classic is growing bigger and better. Lots of athletes are interested in this race because Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a National Park,” Korir told a packed hall during the launch of the 2025 edition of the challenge on Tuesday in Nairobi.

“I’m confident this event will catapult Kenya to greater heights, including being awarded more international Championships by World Athletics, apart from the World U18 and World U20 events we hosted in 2017 and 2020,” Korir stated.

Mwihaki  Wachira, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Absa Bank Kenya, indicated they are proud of their six year relationship with the championship as they renewed their partnership for this season with Sh 60 Million.

” This race is going to bring more people to town, this event is going to increase our revenues, thereby improving our economy, I urge Kenyans to turn up in large numbers to support the championship,”  Wachira underlined.

Sport Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, buttressed Wachira’s sentiments saying Kenya is expecting over 10,000 spectators at the expected cutthroat challenge.

“We have decided to move this event to Ulinzi Complex because of the ongoing works at the Nyayo National Stadium. We expect preparations at Ulinzi to be fully completed on Saturday. No need to panic.We urge the expected high number of fans to devoid themselves from vandalism while at Ulinzi Complex,” Mvurya said.

The C.S further added: “The government is committed to supporting Athletics  coaches, with a high level contigent expected to graduate in France next week.”

At the same time,  Mvurya and Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi confirmed that Kenya has reviewed it’s rates for the medal awards, with Sh 3 million to be rewarded for a gold medal, Sh 2 million for silver and Sh 1 Million for bronze.

Initially, Sh 1 Million, Sh 750,000 and Sh 500,000 was rewarded in that order for the diadems.

Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei said he is glad that Kip Keino Classic is minting new crop of athletes who will be gracing this year’s World Championship in Tokyo.

“Currently, we have over 200 world class athletes . This bright future for Kenya is as a result of the solid youth programs we have in Athletics at the grassroots,” Tuwei underlined.

The 2024 Absa Kip Keino men’s 100m sprints results 

 

1.BEDNAREK Kenneth

USA 9.91

2.MATADI Emmanuel

LBR 9.99

3.AZU Jeremiah

GBR 10.00

4.ALI Chituru

ITA 10.01

5.OMANYALA Ferdinand

KEN 10.03

6.ODHIAMBO Mark Otieno

KEN 10.22

7.CAMEL Dorian

USA 10.33

8.CISSE Arthur

CIV 10.48