Olympic champions Camryn Rogers, Gabby Thomas, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Ethan Katzberg ensured that Nairobi’s Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting, more than lived up to the hype on Friday (24).
Rogers produced one of the performances of the meeting in the women’s hammer. After opening with 72.89m and two fouls, the Canadian responded with 77.53m to take the lead, then improved to 78.60m – breaking Anita Włodarczyk’s meeting record (78.06m) – before sealing victory in the final round with 80.03m, an African all-comers’ record.
Rogers has produced the four best marks of her career in her past four competitions, three of which have been beyond 80 metres. Hammer legend Włodarczyk is the only athlete in history with more 80-metre throws to her name.
France’s Rose Loga was second with 75.19m, ahead of Iceland’s Gudrun Hallgrimsdottir (73.88m).
Big throws were one of the main themes of the day. In the men’s hammer, Katzberg threw a world-leading 82.43m to win ahead of Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan (81.26m) and Czechia’s Volodymyr Myslyvchuk (77.71m).
Rumesh Pathirage in Nairobi (© Kelly Ayodi)
In the men’s javelin, meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s world finalist Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage set a meeting record of 89.28m with his second throw, showing that his recent 89.37m PB wasn’t a fluke. Germany’s 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Röhler threw 83.33m for second, his best mark since 2019.
Thomas produced the standout performances on the track, completing a sprint double.
She first won the 100m in 11.01 (-1.1m/s), beating fellow US sprinter Cambrea Sturgis (11.15). She then returned to take the 200m in a world-leading 21.89, once again finishing ahead of Sturgis (21.93), with Kenya’s Milicent Ndoro third in a personal best of 23.21.
Gabby Thomas in Nairobi (© Kelly Ayodi)
World finalist Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa smashed his PB to win the men’s 200m in 19.77 ahead of Jamaica’s world bronze medallist Bryan Levell (19.93).
Wanyonyi delighted the home crowd by stepping up to the 1500m and beating the specialists at that distance. The Olympic 800m champion tracked the pace before taking control at the bell and holding off Reynold Cheruiyot to win in a personal best of 3:34.11. Cheruiyot finished second in 3:34.73 ahead of Kyumbe Munguti (3:36.21).
Norway’s Amalie Iuel set a world-leading 54.12 to win the women’s 400m hurdles, breaking her own meeting record. Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya was second in 54.60, followed by Belgium’s Paulien Couckuyt (55.47).
Zakithi Nene edged Zambia’s Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga in a close men’s 400m, 44.50 to 44.55, season’s bests for both, with Kenya’s Kelvin Kiprotich Tonui third in a personal best of 44.95. Kenya’s Mercy Oketch won the women’s event in a season’s best of 50.17, ahead of USA’s Paris Peoples (51.06).
Ethiopia’s 2025 world indoor silver medallist Nigist Getachew caused an upset in the women’s 800m, overtaking Kenya’s world champion Lilian Odira in the closing stages to win in 1:58.79. Odira – competing for the first time since her surprise victory at the World Championships last year – finished second in 1:59.15, with Ethiopian teenager Habtam Gebeyehu third in 1:59.72.
Gemechu Godana secured another Ethiopian victory over a home favourite, setting a meeting record and big PB of 8:14.55 to win the men’s 3000m steeplechase, pulling away from 2023 Diamond League champion Simon Koech on the final lap.
In the men’s 100m, the final event of the meeting, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala thrilled the crowd with a 100m victory in 9.96. He took control by halfway and eased through the finish, waving to the crowd in the closing metres. South Africa’s Rivaldo Roberts was second in 10.12.
Kenya’s Kelvin Loti won a closely contested men’s 800m in 1:43.63 ahead of Alex Kipngetich (1:44.12) and Noah Kibet (1:44.44).
Earlier, in the national programme, Kevin Chesang won the men’s 10,000m in 28:31.50. Kipkorir Rotich took the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.99, while Joyce Biwott won the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:55.26.
Cornelius Kemboi won the men’s 5000m in 13:09.31, beating Frankline Kibet (13:10.70). Diana Wanza took the women’s 5000m in 15:28.91 while the 1500m was won by Kenya’s Mirriam Cherop, who surged clear with 300m to go to take victory in 4:08.49.
Justin Lagat for World Athletics
