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South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile returns for another bite of glory in Kenya

South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile returns for another bite of glory in Kenya

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World Relays champion, South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile poses at the Ulinzi Sports Complex earlier this week. He will compete in the men's 200m finals at the Absa Kip Keino Classic on May 31, 2025. © Peter Njoroge

World Relays champion quietly confident as he prepares for men’s 200m Absa Kip Keino Classic showdown

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31-When Sinesipho Dambile touched down in Nairobi earlier this week, it felt like his life had come to a full-circle.

His last major race in the Kenyan capital saw him depart as the World Under 20 champion in the 4X100m relay besides winning an individual bronze medal in the men’s 200m.

This was at the Nairobi 2020 World Under 20 Championships held at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani that were delayed to 2021 due to the global Covid 19 pandemic.

“Nairobi holds a special place in my journey. When the opportunity came to compete at the Kip Keino Classic again, I didn’t hesitate. It’s more than a meet—it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come,” the South African declared.

Now, he returns to Kenya as a senior world champion having run the second lap as the South African quartet made history by winning the 4X100m gold medal at Guangzhou 2025 World Relays in China earlier this month (May 10).

Dambile, 23, will be one of the athletes to watch out in the men’s 200m at the sixth Absa Kip Keino Classic that will go down at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday (May 31).

American-born Liberian, Joseph Fahnbulleh and rising Kenyan star Dennis Mwai are among those who will go head-to-head with the South African in the longer dash.

Without making any bold prediction, Dambile is quietly confident.

“I always aim to give my best. The goal is to run a strong race, execute what we’ve been working on, and leave it all on the track. If a podium comes with that, I’ll be grateful.”

Kenyan connection

His connection to Kenya goes beyond the track.

While not fluent in Kiswahili, he fondly recalls phrases “pole pole (go slow)” and “asante sana (thank you)”, which he picked up while training here.

“Those two got me through a lot—especially on hard training days,” he says with a laugh.

Dambile alongside his Guangzhou gold-medal-winning teammate Bayanda Walaza--- who will feature in the men’s 100m final--- are in Nairobi seeking to build momentum for the Tokyo 2025 Worlds in September.

 “It’s a test of where I’m at. We’ve been building toward the big championships later in the year, so if I can run a strong time here, it sets a good foundation moving forward,” he explained.

The South African national 200m champion has attracted a lot of attention and he is now not the fresh-faced unknown who arrived in Kenya three years ago.

“It’s about staying consistent in training and trusting the process. I work closely with my coach and team on managing energy and staying relaxed.

“Mentally, I try to stay calm. One race at a time—that’s my approach.”

-By Peter Njoroge