Fraser Pryce and Omanyala set impressive world leading times in the 100m at the Kip Keino Classic
Eight-time Olympic medallist Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce set the fastest time in the world this year in the women’s 100 metres with 10.67 into a headwind of -0.4 m/s at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, the third leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold.
Fraser Pryce clocked the third fastest time of her career and was just 0.07 off her PB of 10.60 set in Lausanne last August.
Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce: “It just shows my training has been going great. It’s good to win this race, because the Kenyan fans have been asking for me to come and run here. The way they were cheering wildly for me really motivated me to run a good race. The world lead is a sign that there are better days ahead. It is very encouraging and I am looking forward to doing even better and running a fantastic race every time I step on the track. Obviously, I am not worried about peaking too soon before the World Championships in Oregon”.
Olympic 200m silver Christine Mboma pulled up with a muscle pull.
Bassant Hemida from Egypt finished second setting her lifetime best with 11.02 ahead of Shannon Ray (11.33).
Men’s 100 metres:
African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya sprinted a world leading time of 9.85 with a tailwind of +2.0 m/s to win the eagerly-awaited men’s 100 metres ahead of Olympic silver medallist Fred Kerley, who set the third fastest time in the world this year with 9.92 in his second 100m race of the year. Omanyala recovered from a slow start from the blocks to pull away from Kerley.
Omanyala thriled the home fans, who packed the stands of the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi. Isiah Young finished third in 10.13 beating South Africa’s Henrico Brujntes (10.13) and 200m Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek (10.14).
Ferdinand Omanyala: “It feels nice. I promised a show and I delivered. We are just beginning the season and we have around two months before the World Championships. This was part of the preparation. All these other guys are just like us Kenyans. We just need to tap the talent”.
Omanyala was not mentally affected by the false start.
“In every race, these things sometimes happen. There might be a false start or you might incur an injury. I had prepared myself and wasn’t affected by that false start rather had to pick myself up and continue”.
Olympic champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs pulled out of the Nairobi meeting due to intestinal problems.
Kerley was happy with his second place in 9.92, which improved his PB by 0.07.
Fred Kerley: “It was a fast race. I clocked my seasonal best and I am happy. We had a false start, but that’s part of life. We move on to the next race”.
Men’s 200 metres:
Olympic 4x100 relay silver medallist Aaron Brown from Canada clocked a wind-assisted 20.05 with a tailwind of +2.1 m/s to win the men’s 200 metres ahead of US sprinter Kyraa King (20.18). Olympic 4x400 relay bronze medallist Isaac Makwala from Botswana, who is competing in his final season, finished third in 20.31.
Women’s 200 metres:
Aminatou Seyni won the 200 metres improving her PB by 0.11 to 22.43 into a headwind of -1.0 m/s ahead of US sprinters Shannon Ray (22.84) and Dezerea Bryant (22.92).
Women’s hammer throw:
Three-time Olympic champion Anita Wlodarczyk won the women’s hammer throw with 78.06m on her seasonal debut. Janee Kassanavoid took second place with her PB of 76.82m.
Men’s hammer throw:
Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki from Poland won the men’s hammer throw setting the fifth best performance of his career with 81.43m in the sixth round. Nowicki produced two more throws of 80.45m and 80.15m. Mykhaylo Kokhan from the Ukraine, who won the world under 18 in Nairobi in 2017 and finished fourth at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, took second place with 77.80m.
Women’s 800 metres:
Prudence Sekgodiso from South Africa took a surprising win in the women’s 800 metres improving by three seconds her PB to 1:58.41, the second fastest time in the world this year. Kenya’s Mary Moraa dipped under the 2 minutes barrier clocking 1:59.87 ahead of Naomi Korir (2:00.06). Reigning world champion Halimah Nakaayi took fifth place in 2:00.93.
Men’s 1500 metres:
World indoor bronze medallist Abel Kipsang dominated the men’s 1500 metres setting the world leading time of 3:31.01 at 1800 metres of altitude. Kenya claimed the top three spots with Reynold Kipkorir (3:35.50) and 2016 world under 20 champion Kumari Taki (3:36.73).
Women’s 3000 metres steeplechase:
Former Kenyan runner Norah Jeruto, who represents Kazakhstan, set the fastest time in the world this year with 9:04.95 beating Faith Cherotich from Kenya (9:12.04) and reigning Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai (9:20.07).
Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase:
Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot claimed the win in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:21.92 with a big margin over Samuel Bariso from Ethiopia (8:27.40) and Benjamin Kigen from Kenya (8:30.28). Former Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto had to settle with fifth place in 8:32.76.
Women’s 5000 metres:
Girmawit Gebrzihair set the fastest time in the world this year clocking 14:49.97 beating Kaazhstan Daisy Jepkemei (15:08.97).
Men’s 5000 metres:
World 3000m indoor finalist Jacob Krop from Kenya crossed the finish-line first in 13:12.83 ahead of half marathon specialist Daniel Mateiko (13:13.45).
Men’s javelin throw:
Ihab Abdelrahman from Egypt produced his best throw of 83.79m to take the win in the men’s javelin ahead of 2015 world champion Julius Yego from Kenya (79.59m).
