Athletics fans have been eagerly waiting for the fourth edition of the Absa Kip Keino Classic, which is a World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event.
The championship will take place on Saturday at Kenya’s top athletics stadium, the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. This year, the event has attracted a diverse range of Olympic, world and continental champions, as well as world and continental record holders, making it even more significant
A total of 251 athletes, both local and international, will showcase their abilities in front of the 60,000-seater stadium, commencing at 10 am. They will be competing for varying aspirations, with the ultimate goal being the World Athletics Championships scheduled for August 19 to 27 in Budapest, Hungary.
Athletics Kenya has been urging Kenyans to attend the event in large numbers, as entry is free. Absa Kenya has come on board as the title sponsor for the third year in a row with an increased package of Sh60 million.
The Kenyan government has also contributed Sh320 million to the event, with Safaricom, an integrated telecommunication service provider, contributing Sh9.5 million.
The international athletes will participate in the core category which comprises nine races and the discretionary category which consists of eight events, while the national category includes six events.
The highlight of the championships, which will be broadcasted live on Nation Television (NTV), will be the men’s 100 meters race, featuring Ferdinand Omanyala, the African 100m record holder, and Marvin Bracy-Williams, the World 100m silver medallist, among others.
