Global stars ready to light up Nairobi

Global champions Gabby Thomas, Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg will be among the headliners when the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold heads to Nairobi for the Kip Keino Classic on Friday (24).

Past editions of the meeting have witnessed several area and national records and with a new track, the introduction of wavelight technology, a star-studded line-up and a shift of the event programme from the afternoon to evening, the seventh edition could be the most exciting and memorable yet.

Thomas, a three-time Olympic and world gold medallist, is ready to light up Nairobi as she takes on the 100m. The US sprint star is coming off a dominant performance at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, where she completed a sprint double. She faces Maia McCoy, who returns to defend her crown as part of a strong US contingent also featuring Cambrea Sturgis, as well as Kenya’s Millicent Ndoro, hoping to make a statement on home soil.

Canada’s Rodgers is the clear favourite in the women’s hammer as she returns to Nairobi to defend her title. The Olympic and two-time world champion opened her season by throwing 81.13m to improve her own North American record in Austin, USA, at the start of this month and the 77.93m she threw to win in Nairobi last year remains the eighth-farthest winning mark of her career so far. Her competition includes USA’s two-time world medallist Janee' Kassanavoid.

Rodgers’ compatriot and fellow Olympic and two-time world champion Katzberg will also want to make a statement as he seeks back-to-back wins. The North American record-holder with 84.70m from the World Championships in Tokyo last year will be joined by Ukraine's Olympic bronze medallist Mykhalio Kokhan and Egypt's Mostafa Elgamel – two throwers who have also surpassed 81 metres.

Back on the track, home favourite Ferdinand Omanyala returns to the meeting at which he set his African 100m record of 9.77 in 2021. He ran 9.98 to win in Addis Ababa last weekend and the Nyayo crowd will be roaring him on as he tests his speed against international challengers such as Canada’s Aaron Brown, USA’s Brandon Hicklin and South Africa’s Gift Leotlela.

Jamaica’s world bronze medallist Bryan Levell, currently ranked fourth in the world for the 200m, is ready to electrify the track in his signature event. He arrives in Nairobi in top form, fresh from running 9.90 for 100m in Kingston, and will face fierce competition from South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile and the USA’s Kyree King.

With Zambia’s Olympic 400m bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga, South Africa's world relay bronze medallist Zakithi Nene and USA's world indoor silver medallist Brian Faust, the men's 400m promises a thrilling battle.

Kenya’s world champion Lilian Odira stars in the women's 800m and will go up against Ethiopia’s world indoor silver medallist Nigist Getachew and Habtam Gebeyehu. The men's 800m also has a strong line-up, with six runners who have run under 1:44.00. Kethobolige Haingura of Botswana, who has a PB of 1:43.58, will want to challenge the Kenyan stars including Wyclife Kinyamal, Aaron Cheminingwa and Alex Kipngetich.

Kenya's Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will not race his usual two-lap event but will instead contest the 1500m. He lines up alongside his compatriots Reynold Cheruiyot, the world bronze medallist, 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, Brian Komen and Abel Kipsang, as well as US champion Jonah Koech.

The men's 3000m steeplechase will see brothers Amos Serem and Edmund Serem, both world U20 gold medallists in the past five years, run in the same race as the older sibling continues his comeback following injury. Other notable Kenyans in the event include Olympic and world bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwot, Leonard Bett and Simon Koech, who will face a contingent of Ethiopian rivals that includes Milkessa Fekadu and world U20 bronze medallist Hailu Ayalew.

All eyes will be on Kenya’s rising star Mercy Oketch as she chases her own national record of 50.14 in the women’s 400m. Her competition includes USA’s Paris Peoples and Ugandan record-holder Leni Shida. World finalists Shiann Salmon of Jamaica and Gianna Woodruff of Panama contest the 400m hurdles against Kemi Adekoya.

The men's javelin includes Kenya’s African record-holder Julius Yego, Belgian record-holder Timothy Herman, 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany and Portuguese record-holder Leandro Ramos. The long jump offers a clash between USA’s Tionna Tobias and Burkina Faso’s national record-holder Marthe Koala as they both have a personal best of 6.94m. Nigeria's Ruth Usoro will want to build on her season's best of 6.65m.

Justin Lagat for World Athletics