NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – A star studded field is expected in the third edition of the Kip Keino Classic at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani on Saturday, a leg of the World Athletics Continental Gold Tour meets.
On Friday, organizers announced that entrance to the one-day event will be free of charge, scrapping the earlier Sh200 entrance fee.
“We expect very good numbers on Saturday because Kenyans love athletics and they will be at Kasarani. Those who had earlier bought tickets will be refunded and we urge people to come out in large numbers and cheer our stars,” said Meet Director, Barnaba Korir.
Capita Sports gives you a low down on what you need to know about the Kip Keino Classic.
What time does it start?
The event starts at 12:35pm with the men’s Javelin throw and will end at 6pm, with the men’s 100m.
How many events are there?
There are three categories of events; the core, national and discretionary events. The core events will count towards the Continental Gold Tour points.
The Core events are; men and women’s hammer throw, women’s high jump, men and women’s 100m, men and women’s 3,000m steeplechase, men and women’s 200m.
The national events are; men’s 10,000m, men and women’s 400m hurdles and men’s 400m
The discretionary events are; men’s javelin throw, men and women’s 5,000m, women’s 400m, men and women’s 800m, men and women’s 1500m.
What is the prize money?
According to World Athletics regulations, there is a total prize purse of 25,000USD.
All the top eight finishers have an assured prize purse. Winners get 5,000 USD, 3,000 USD for the second placed team, 2,000 USD for third, 1400 USD for fourth, 1200 USD for fifth, 1,000 USD for sixth, 800 USD for seventh and 600 USD for eighth.
Sponsors Absa have added 500USD for each winner.
Athletics Kenya will then choose six events where the top eight will also be awarded, but on a lower scale. Winners of these events get 3,500 USD, second 2,000 USD, third 1400 USD, fourth 1,000 USD, fifth 800 USD, sixth 600 USD, seventh 400 USD and eighth 300 USD.
Who are the stars of the event?
All eyes will definitely be on the 100m which has star studded fields in both the men’s and women’s races.
In the men’s race, there will be three Olympic medallists; Olympic champion marcel Jacobs of Italy, silver medallist Fred Kerley of the USA and 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek of the USA.
They will come up against Kenyan homeboy and crowd favourite Ferdinand Omanyala.
The women’s race will have the pocket rocket, three time Olympic champion Shelly Anne Fraser-Pryce, 200m Olympic silver medallist and World U-20 champion Christine Mboma of Namibia and Kenyan record holder Maximilla Imali.
In the men and women’s Hammer Throw, the field is loaded with Olympic medalists.
Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk will be the girl to watch in the women’s event while American Kassanavoid Janee will also be one to watch, having thrown a season’s best of 73.76, which is further than Anita’s Olympic winning distance.
In the men’s Hammer throw, Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki is the man to watch, returning to Nairobi after also winning last year’s event. Pawel Fajdek, bronze medal winner from the Olympic Games also returns to Nairobi.
Ukranian Mykhaylo Kokhan who was fourth at the Olympic Games also makes the line up for Nairobi’s event.
Other stars who will be at the event include 2016 Olympic champion and reigning world champion in the steeplechase Conseslus Kipruto as well as Tokyo bronze medalist Benjamin Kigen, Kenyan-turned American Paul Chelimo who will compete in the 800m, Ugandan Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai who competes in the women’s steeplechase, world champion Halima Nakaayi who will compete in the women’s 800m among others.
