World stars jet in for Kip Keino Classic
Uganda's Peruth Chemutai reacts after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 4, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Three-time World 100m champion Justin Gatlin from the United States and compatriot Bromell Trayvo, the fastest 100m man this season, are among the athletes due to touchdown Thursday.
- Also expected Thursday are Olympic women’s 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Botswana, Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai and World 800m champion Narima Naakayi also from Uganda.
The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will on Thursday be a beehive of activities with international foreign athletes checking in for the Absa Kip Keino Classic due Saturday at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Meet director, Barnaba Korir disclosed that close to 53 athletes will arrive aboard various airlines planes starting at dawn across the day.
“Quite a number of athletes are already in the country, having arrived as early as Saturday,” said Korir, who took time to welcome them and promised a memorable experience.
A total of 265 athletes both local and international will compete at the Absa Kip Keino Classic, the final leg of the 2021 World Athletics Continental Gold Tour on Saturday.
From the pack, 185 will participate in core and discretionary races, with 80 battling it out in the national category.
Three-time World 100m champion Justin Gatlin from the United States and compatriot Bromell Trayvon, the fastest 100m man this season, are among the athletes due to touchdown Thursday.
Also expected Thursday are Olympic women’s 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Botswana, Olympic 3,000m steeplechase champion, Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai and World 800m champion Narima Naakayi also from Uganda.
Tokyo Olympics 100m silver medallist Fred Kerley from United States is also expected for the 200m contest that will feature Commonwealth Games 400m champion Isaac Makwala of Botswana, who also jets in Thursday.
Also landing for the 200m battle is the Nairobi World Under-20 200m bronze medallist Sinesipho Dambile from South Africa.
Tokyo Olympics hammer throw champion Wojciech Nowicki of Poland and compatriot Pawel Fajdek all from Poland, the 2017 and 2019 World hammer throw champion are expected on Friday.
Korir disclosed that the official press conference for the championship will be held on Friday at Ole Sereni Hotel.
