Kip Keino Classic Preview: World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Meeting

Olympic hammer throw champions Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg of Canada, along with three-time Olympic sprint champion Gabby Thomas, will headline the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, the second leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold on Friday, April 24.

For the first time at an African track meeting, Wavelight pacing technology will be introduced, promising faster times in the middle-distance events. This year’s edition will take place from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, marking a shift to an evening schedule designed to optimize performances in cooler conditions and attract a global prime-time audience.

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Women’s Hammer Throw

Camryn Rogers returns to Nairobi aiming for her second consecutive victory, one year after winning with 77.93m—a meeting record and the eighth-best winning mark of her career. The Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion opened her 2026 season with a world-leading 81.13m at the Texas Relays in Austin, the fourth longest throw in history and a North American record.

Rogers claimed world titles in Budapest 2023 (77.22m) and Tokyo 2025 (80.51m), the latter ranking as the seventh longest throw of all time and the best mark by any athlete other than world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk.

She will face USA’s Janee Kassanavoid, a two-time world medallist (bronze in Eugene 2022 and silver in Budapest 2023), who placed third at last year’s Kip Keino Classic with 74.17m. Kassanavoid’s personal best stands at 78.00m, set in Tucson in 2022.

Men’s Hammer Throw

Ethan Katzberg will aim for a third consecutive win in Nairobi. He first triumphed at this meeting in 2024 with a Canadian and NACAC record of 84.38m—the best mark in the world since 2008—and followed up with victory in 2025 at 82.73m.

The Canadian star won Olympic gold in Paris 2024 with 84.12m and secured world titles in Budapest 2023 (81.25m) and Tokyo 2025 with a championship record of 84.70m—the longest throw in any competition in 20 years. Together, Katzberg and Rogers delivered Canada’s third consecutive global championships double in the hammer throw.

Katzberg will face Ukraine’s Olympic bronze medallist Mykhailo Kokhan (79.39m, PB 82.02m in 2025) and Egypt’s Mostafa Elgamel, the African record holder with 81.27m.

Men’s 100 Metres

Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala returns to home soil, where he set the African record of 9.77 at this meeting in 2021. He will look to build on his recent win at the Continental Tour Bronze meeting in Addis Ababa, where he clocked 9.98.

Omanyala will take on South Africa’s Gift Leotlela, fifth at the 2025 World Championships final (9.95) and owner of a 9.87 PB, Canada’s Olympic 4x100m champion Aaron Brown (37.50 relay gold), and USA’s Brandon Hicklin, who set a 9.93 PB in Clermont.

Men’s 200 Metres

Jamaica’s Bryan Levell arrives in strong form after winning the 100m in 9.90 at the Velocity Fest in Kingston. He broke through in 2025 with a 19.69 victory at the Continental Tour Gold in Budapest and improved his 100m PB to 9.82.

Levell went on to win world bronze in Tokyo with a PB of 19.64, becoming the third fastest Jamaican ever over 200m behind Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.

He will face South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile (19.97 PB, eighth at the 2025 Worlds) and USA’s Kyree King, fourth at the 2024 US Olympic Trials.

Women’s 100 Metres

Gabby Thomas headlines the women’s 100m one week after completing a sprint double in Addis Ababa (11.13 into a -4.0 m/s headwind and 22.15 for 200m). She also won in Austin earlier this year with 11.00.

Thomas is a three-time Olympic gold medallist, winning the 200m (21.83), 4x100m relay (41.78), and 4x400m relay (3:15.27). Her 21.60 PB from the 2023 US Championships ranks her fourth on the all-time list.

She will face Maya McCoy (11.21 winner here last year), Cambrea Sturgis (11.09 SB, 22.09 SB), and Kenya’s Millicent Ndoro.

Women’s 800 Metres

World champion Lilian Odira of Kenya will take on Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew (2025 world indoor silver medallist) and Habtam Gebeyehu.

Odira won this race last year in 1:58.31 before going on to claim world gold in Tokyo with a championship record of 1:54.62, ahead of Georgia Hunter Bell and Keely Hodgkinson.

Men’s 1500 Metres

Olympic and world 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi will step up in distance to the 1500m. He won Olympic gold in Paris 2024 (1:41.19) and world gold in Tokyo 2025 (1:41.86), and claimed back-to-back Diamond League titles in 2024 and 2025.

Wanyonyi also ran 1:41.11 in Lausanne (second fastest ever) and set the 2025 world lead of 1:41.44 in Monaco.

He will face a stacked field including Timothy Cheruiyot, Reynold Cheruiyot, Brian Komen (3:28.80 PB), Abel Kipsang, and USA’s Jonah Koech.

Men’s 400 Metres

Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga (43.74 NR) will face South Africa’s Zakhiti Nene (43.76 PB) and world indoor silver medallist Brian Faust.

Samukonga opened his 2026 season with a win in 44.75 in Lesotho, while Nene returns to Nairobi as the defending champion.

Women’s 400 Metres

Kenya’s Mercy Oketch will target her national record of 50.14, set at last year’s edition. She won bronze in the mixed 4x400m at the 2025 World Relays.

She will face USA’s Paris Peoples, world indoor 4x400m champion.

Men’s 800 Metres

The field features six athletes with sub-1:44 credentials. Botswana’s Kethobogile Haingura (1:43.58 PB) leads the line-up against Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal, Aaron Cheminingwa (1:42.08 PB), and Alex Kipngetich (1:43.74 PB).

Men’s 3000 Metres Steeplechase

Amos Serem will face his brother Edmund Serem in a compelling family clash. Amos won world U20 gold in 2021 and the 2024 Diamond League final, while Edmund claimed U20 gold in 2024.

They will also face Abraham Kibiwot, Simon Koech, Leonard Bett, and Ethiopian challengers Milkessa Fekadu and Hailu Ayalew.

Women’s 400 Metres Hurdles

Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon will compete against Panama’s Gianna Woodruff (NR 52.66) and Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya.

Men’s Javelin Throw

Kenya’s Julius Yego, world champion in 2015, will compete on home soil after returning to form with 85.54m in 2025.

He will face Timothy Herman (87.35m Belgian record), Olympic champion Thomas Röhler (PB 93.90m), and Portugal’s Leandro Ramos (84.78m NR).

Women’s Long Jump

Burkina Faso’s Marthe Koala (PB 6.94m) will take on USA’s Tionna Tobias (PB 6.94m). Nigeria’s Ruth Osoro (SB 6.65m) is also in the field.