Absa KipKeino Classic, Africa’s only continental tournament, will run its fifth edition on 20th April, 2004, offering young talent a chance to compete with local and global elite athletes for trophies and prize money.
Athletics Kenya President General Jackson Tuwei said the tournament that was launched five years ago to provide runners with high-profile competitive races was meant to help runners earn from yearly circuits.
Absa Kipkeino Classic, which will run in Nairobi’s 30,000 capacity Nyayo stadium, has attracted elite global athletes and world champions as well as Kenyan stars. Young emerging talent will get a chance to compete with the high profile athletes at gold level, earning both prize money and world ranking points.
“The continental tours were started five years ago to address the issue of having too many athletes wanting to compete at world platform yet there were not enough competitions and opportunity for athletes to earn money,” he said.
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The young inexperienced athletes will have a chance of putting their names at par with local and international sports heroes that have drawn media attention to Absa Kipkeino classic.
The 100m men will be a duel between Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and Bednarek Kenneth from USA. The javelin throw men see the return of Rohler Thomas from Germany against Kenya’s Julius Yego. The 800m women will be a duel of the two world champions Nakaayi Halima from Uganda and Mary Moraa, a Kenyan.
Other elite global athletes will include Deadmon Bryce from USA, Ray Shannon from USA, Kaden Lilly from German, Reid Alana from Jamaica, Nowe Oratile from Botswana, Kandisounon Lena from France, Desta Netsanet from Ethiopia and Mboma Christine from Namibia, among others.
Absa Bank Kenya Consumer Banking Director, Mr Moses Muthui, says they have committed to continue supporting the tournament which they also use to choose individual athletes as brand ambassadors.
“As Absa Bank Kenya we are very proud to be part of this journey of nurturing stars through the Kipkeino Classic,” said Mr Muthui. “This championship event provides a great opportunity for Kenyans to not only watch foreign stars in Kenya but to also celebrate our very own homegrown talents whose stories continue to inspire our commitment to this sport as we support and empower them in line with our purpose of empowering Africa’s tomorrow together, one story at a time.”
Absa Bank Kenya has renewed its title sponsorship for the Absa Kipkeino Classic Continental Tour, committing Ksh40 million towards Athletics Kenya activities this year where Ksh30 million will be direct sponsorship as title sponsors of the 2024 Absa KipKeino Classic Tour.
Absa Bank Kenya Consumer Banking Director Moses Muthui, 100M athlete Ferdinand Omanyala, State Department for Sports Principal SecretaryPeter Tum, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei, 800M athlete Mary Moraa, Athletics Kenya President General Jackson Tuwei, Athletics Kenya Youth Development
The remaining Ksh10 million will be used as the leverage amount as well as in supporting other events in the Kenya athletics calendar, including the under 20 youth trials engagement, national trials series events and Sirikwa Classic which took place in February 2024.
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Principal Secretary, State Department for Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Eng. Peter Tum said: “We thank Absa and all the stakeholders in the entire sporting ecosystem, including Athletics Kenya for getting into this sport and walking with us in elevating the status of this championship, the only of its kind in Africa. The government is investing substantially to ensure the success of the 2024 Absa Kipkeino Classic, including by supporting the adequate rewarding of our athletes to ensure that Kenya continues to demonstrate its prowess in sports.”
The championship will feature a diverse range of events from sprints, to hammer throws, promising to give Kenyans a thrilling experience of what happens on the global stage.
