Olympic Stars Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce and Lamont Marcell Jacobs Arrive Ahead of the Kip Keino Classic Showdown

• World beaters troop into the country to participate in the Kip Keino Classic set for the Moi International Sports Centre on Saturday
• Three-time Olympic champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is stoked to be in country and is hoping to start off her season on a high note as she prepares for the World Championships
• Fireworks are expected in the men's 100m races as Olympic medalists Marcell Jacobs and Fred Kerley face off with Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala

Olympic medalists Marcel Jacobs, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Fred Kerley have jetted into the country ahead of the Kip Keino classic on Saturday. The trio arrived yesterday to headline the third edition of the Continental Tour Gold.

The one-day meet will go down at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. Three-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion Shelly-Ann is buzzed to be in the country.

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Boxing

Why not come to Kenya? It’s all you guys talk about, Kenya being the home of athletics and I wanted to come here and open my season in the 100m. Hopefully, I will be able to put together a solid race to start my season and I am really looking forward to just executing a good race and hopefully have a fast time.

According to East African Sports, the Jamaican mother of one is eyeing further history at the World Championships slated for Eugene, Oregon later this year. The 35-year-old is also planning on competing in the Paris Olympics of 2024 before considering retirement.

She will face off with American Sha’Carri Richardson and the Namibian duo of Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi. The former won silver in the 200m race at the Tokyo Olympics.

Jacobs aiming for further glory

Marcell Jacobs arrived a few minutes after Fraser-Pryce and was equally excited to be in the country. The Italian rose to fame last year after powering through to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs to grace the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi

Athletics

It’s fantastic. It’s amazing and it’s my first time in Africa and in Kenya. I am happy to be here and I can’t wait to compete. It’s a really good competition and I can’t wait to compete.

Jacobs will square it out with a star-studded field that has Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley. Speaking to Star Sports, Kerley insisted that he is not worried about facing Jacobs but he is relishing the opportunity.

Like Fraser-Pryce, they are using the Kip Keino classic to prepare for the World Championships.

Other stars expected in the country include Ugandan Peruth Chemutai who is the Olympic women’s steeplechase champion. Halima Nakaayi, the 2019 World Championships 800m winner, is also expected to face off with homegirl Mary Moraa.

Kenya submits official bid for 2025 World Championships

Elsewhere, Kenya officially submitted her bid to host the 2025 World Championships to a visiting team from World Athletics.

Kenya submits official bid to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships

Athletics

Sports Brief reported that the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Joe Okudo and Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei were optimistic that Kenya can organize a successful event.

Kenya has in the past hosted the World U-17 Championships and the World U-20 Championships and are hoping to bank on that experience to organize the senior event.