World athletics stars start arriving in country for KipKeino Classic
A contingent of World Athletics stars yesterday arrived in Nairobi for a massive showdown on Saturday during the fourth edition of Absa Kipkeino Classic at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani.
Reigning and double world javelin champion Anderson Peters is among nine international athletes who landed in Kenya’s capital yesterday ready to shake the city.
The Grenadian who threw 90.54m on his way to clinching the gold medal last year at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA, is elated with stepping on African soil for the first time.
“Am really interested in getting involved in some traditions here, learning more about the roots of African people,” he told People Daily Sport.
Egyptian Abdulrahman Ihab won the javelin throw last year at Kasarani with Julius Yego, 2015 world champion finishing second.
The trio are expected to go head on again in five days’ time at the same venue.
World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games silver medallist in 200m American Kenny Bednarek says he is looking forward to doing a double this year in Budapest. He has also expressed his delight in participating at the lucrative Kipkeino Classic for the second time and looking forward to facing African star and homeboy Ferdinand Omanyala.
“Am glad to be back, I was here last year and but I had a disturbing injury. This year I am here in good health and I want to see what I can do in 100m.It will mean a lot if I win here but I know it is going to be a tough race for sure. He (Omanyala) is a great competitor and am looking forward to seeing what happens,” said Bednarek.
Other athletes who landed yesterday include 100m world leader Sha’ Carri Richardson (USA),Terry Twanisha (USA) ,Kyra Jefferson (USA),Kyree King (USA), Aaron Brown (Canada), Teahna Daniels (USA) and Jerome Blake (Canada).
World Indoor Championships silver medallist Angelika Cichocka of Poland was the first foreign athlete to arrive in Kenya on Saturday and she expected to battle Kenya’s Mar Moraa.
