Five most memorable Absa Kip Keino moments
Held every year since 2020, the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event has produced epic track and field performances
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28- The sixth edition of the annual Absa Kip Keino Classic— that is also the sixth stop of the 2025 World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series— has welcomed some of the finest athletes from all over the world to pursue glory.
Coming at the start of the global track and field season, the event named after the Kenyan retired distance running icon; two-time Olympic champion Kipchoge Keino, has given elite athletes an opportunity to test their form ahead of competing for top honours at Olympic, world and continental championships.
With the added advantage of running at high elevation, the Absa Kip Keino Classic has unfurled many highlight performances over the past five editions and here are some of the five most memorable;
1. Ferdinand Omanyala storms to African record – 2021
In a stunning race, Ferdinand Omanyala clocked 9.77 seconds in the men’s 100m, setting a new African record. Though he finished second behind American Trayvon Bromell (9.76), Omanyala’s performance electrified the home crowd and firmly established him as a continental sprint force. While 2004, 100m Olympics champion Justin Glatin finished third in 10.03 seconds. It remains one of the top-ten performances of all time to date.
2. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce blasts to world lead- 2022
Jamaican female sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran a blistering 10.67 seconds in the women’s 100m – the fastest ever on Kenyan soil and a world lead of the 2022 season in her first competition of the year. She beat Bassant Hamida of Egypt (11.02) and Shannon Ray (11.33) of the USA.
The stadium roared as she took off the blocks giving them the thrill they wanted during the race. It was the same time the superstar was crowned world champion in Eugene, Oregon later in the year.
3. Letsile Tebogo serves early notice of Olympic ambition- 2024
Letsile Tebogo, the then 20-year-old sprint sensation from Botswana, exploded out of the blocks from lane six with a point to prove. Already known for his youthful charisma and calm confidence, he silenced any doubts about his 200m prowess with a breathtaking performance that set a new world lead of 19.87 making it the first sub-20 performance of the 2024 outdoor season.
Later in the year Tebogo won a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics Games in the 200m and a silver medal in 4x400m relay as he went on to be crowned the World Athlete of the Year.
4. Ethan Katzberg sets Area and National Hammer record - 2024
Canadian Ethan Katzberg, the 2023 World Champion, unleashed a monster throw of 84.38m, marking the longest hammer throw worldwide since 2008. Which elevated him to ninth on the all-time world list and established a new Canadian and North American (NACAC) area record.
Katzberg went on to win the coveted gold medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Games. He will be returning for the 2025 Kip Keino Classic to defend his crown.
5. Christine Mboma destroys a packed field in the women’s 200m – 2021
Tokyo 2020 Olympics 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia cemented her status as a quality sprinter with a lung bursting performance of 22.39 to win the women’s 200m in 2021. She dominated and beat an experienced field led by Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire who finished second in 22.98s while Aminatou Seyeni of Niger settled for the second runners up position in 23.33s.
-By Charity Wanja | Freelance Journalist
