World and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi competes in the men's 1,500m at the Kip Keino Classic/ HANDOUTAthletics Kenya (AK) youth development chairman Barnaba Korir says World Athletics is set to use next year’s Kip Keino Classic as a major test event ahead of Kenya’s hosting of the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
Speaking on NTV’s Sport On, Korir, who also serves as the Kip Keino meet director, revealed that the global governing body will closely monitor the 2027 Kip Keino Classic, using the prestigious Continental Tour Gold meeting as a gauge of Kenya’s preparedness for the global championships in 2029.
“The President and CEO of World Athletics insisted that the Kip Keino Classic for next year must meet their standards,” Korir said.
Korir revealed that World Athletics’ top brass will descend on Nairobi to witness the spectacle and assess Kenya’s preparations as the country gears up to host the first-ever senior World Athletics Championships.
“They are going to be here; they want to come to the Kip Keino Classic and watch as part of the test event for the 2029 World Championships,” he added.
Korir, also the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) first Vice President, said next year’s edition must be spectacular and meet the highest standards to impress World Athletics and demonstrate Kenya’s readiness to stage the global showpiece in 2029. “So World Athletics will be here on April 30 next year, and we want to make it one of the best Kip Keino Classic races we have had,” he said.
The 2026 Kip Keino Classic edition featured a string of memorable performances and unforgettable moments across the track and field programme, underlining the meeting’s growing stature on the international athletics calendar. Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas of the United States cruised to victory in the women’s 200m, clocking a swift 21.89 seconds. Her performance set a world-leading mark and a new meeting record, and Thomas also became the first woman to dip under 22 seconds on Kenyan and African soil.
Thomas further underlined her sprinting pedigree by completing a double, powering to victory in the 100m in 11.01 seconds.
In the men’s 100m, Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, sent the home crowd into raptures as he stormed to his third Kip Keino Classic victory in 9.96 seconds. The triumph added to his previous victories in 2022, when he clocked 9.85, and 2023, when he posted 9.84.
The men’s 400m was equally fireworks, with South African Zakith Nene edging Zambia's Muzala Samukonga in a thrilling finish. Nene crossed the line in 44.50 seconds, just 0.02 ahead of Samukonga, who clocked 44.52.
Meanwhile, another South African, Sinesipho Dambile, captured the men’s 200m title emphatically, cruising to victory in 19.77 seconds.
The field events were equally electric, with world and Olympic hammer throw champion Ethan Katzberg of Canada producing a monster throw of 82.43m to claim a world-leading mark. The women’s hammer throw also delivered a meeting record, with Canadian star Camryn Rogers launching the implement 80.03m.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage also produced one of the standout field-event performances, unleashing a massive 89.28m in the men’s javelin to set a new meeting record.
