A total of 189 elite athletes are expected to showcase their athletic prowess during the sixth edition of the Absa Kip Keino Classic, scheduled for 31 May 2025 at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Kenya.
Out of the 189 athletes taking part at the Classic, Ethiopia will field 31, while Kenya will field 53 in the national events and 59 in the core and discretionary events.
“We look forward to welcoming world-class athletes to the Kenyan stage and assure the public of a thrilling day of sports as the world turns its attention to Kenya. Absa Kip Keino Classic has become one of Africa’s most memorable events thanks to strong partnerships like the one Athletics Kenya (AK) has with Absa,” said AK President Lt. Gen (Rt) Jackson Tuwei.
“In other continental tour events, they do not have that (national and discretional events). These were given to us because of the request that we made as a country to have our athletes in those two other categories so that they have more events and more competitions at home.”
The African contingent will be led by African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, Liberian Sprinter Joseph Fahnbulleh, Olympic bronze medallist Abraham Kibiwott, youngster Sarah Moraa, Wiseman Were, Julius Yego, and more.
Some of the international athletes expected are Hammer Olympic champion Camryn Rogers, Mujinga Kambuji, the indoor champion in Nanjing, Javelin world champion Anderson Peters, three-time Olympic champion Anita Włodarczyk, and Thomas Rohler among others.
“We have many athletes participating from different parts of the world. Despite the fact that we have so many competitions worldwide, there’s so much interest from different parts of the world that they want to come and run in the country,” said Barnaba Korir, the meet director.
“When they come from parts of the world, especially the US, they get an opportunity to learn this country, to learn the culture, and also to visit one of the unique parks in Nairobi.”
“The Kip Keino classic event is not just a race; it is one of the greatest performance sporting theatres for mouth-watering encounters between the world’s greatest athletes. It is an arena for sheer display of explosive speed, raw stamina, tactical brilliance and unyielding strength,” added Sports Permanent Secretary Elijah Mwangi.
Kip Keino sponsorship
Named after the legend and athletics hero Kipchoge Keino, the Kip Keino Classic is only possible through collaboration, participation, and inclusion of the private sector, in addition to government sponsorship, which amounts to KSHS 300 million (USD 2.3 million) this year
“Sporting activities are as serious as any other investment in our country. Kip Keino serves as a premier platform for Kenyan athletes, both rising stars and seasoned champions, to showcase their talent and uphold Kenya’s proud legacy in athletics. It also presents a unique opportunity for talent scouting and strategic partnerships within the global sports ecosystem,” said Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya.
ABSA Bank has invested KES40 million (USD 309,738) for the naming rights as well as planning and execution of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event. This is the sixth year of the ABSA sponsorship.
“We at ABSA invest in stories that matter, and the stories of our athletes are great stories. If we look at our history, just from the person we celebrate with this ABSA Kip Keno Classic Tour, we go to Eliud Kipchoge, Ferdinand Omanyala, Mary Moraa, many athletes with great stories, inspirational stories, stories of resilience, stories of discipline, stories of inspiration, and not just in Kenya, but world acclaimed,” Absa Bank Kenya Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Mwihaki Wachira noted.
Absa Bank’s partnership with Athletics Kenya is about growing the sustainability of athletics and sports.
“The Kip Keino Classic is a celebration of our identity. It provides a global platform for athletes. We all feel immense pride when we see the Kenyan flag and the national anthem being played. It is a moment for us to brag, a moment for us to say, look at those Kenyans, look at us shining on the global stage.
“However, this determination, discipline, and excellence mirror the values we have as a brand and as Kenyans. We continue to emulate these athletes,” Wachira added.
The sponsorships were announced during the ABSA Kip Keino Classic Media launch which was attended by the Cabinet Secretary and Permanent Secretary of Sports, Senior official from Athletics Kenya led by AK President Lt. Gen (Rt) Jackson Tuwei, Nuh Ibrahim, Sports Fund CEO and Mwihaki Wachira, ABSA’s Marketing and Corporate Affairs Director among others.
“Beyond the medals and records, sports is also a unifying factor,” said Wachira. “It is also an economic catalyst. Just by virtue of this Kip Keino Classic, we will have many people coming into Nairobi.”
“We will stimulate the hospitality sectors. We will stimulate the grassroots. We will stimulate our communities, and all this will generate an economic catalyst across the country. As a brand rooted in the community, we also use sports as a force for good.”
Ulinzi the new venue
Are you ready to witness speed, strength, and athletic excellence on the 31st of May? This year’s event will be held for the first time at the 10,000-seat Ulinzi Complex. The track is currently undergoing maintenance to ensure certification before the event.
Entry fees are Kshs 200 for regular and 2,000 for VIP. Tickets are available at: https://tikiti.co.ke/e/absa-kip-keino-classic.
“I wish to call on all Kenyans to come together and celebrate the excellence of our athletes. And you know, this activity is a good unifying factor, but it also activates all the other economic ecosystems,” said Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya.
“This means that we are activating tourism. Therefore, we also use this opportunity to market our country and to continue to be that country that is still the capital of Africa on matters of athletics.”
The Kip Keino Classic is the sixth stop in the 12-meet World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series. The series comprises high-profile track and field competitions held across five continents, including two in Africa: the Botswana Golden Grand Prix and Kip Keino Classic.
“Allow me therefore to thank World Athletics for supporting Kenya in the events that we are conducting and the events that we are hosting and all the support that they have given us. Let us all work hard to attract more international here,” AK President Lt. Gen (Rt) Jackson Tuwei concluded.
Meet The Authors
Michelle Katami is an award-winning multimedia African sports storyteller based in Kenya, with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She worked with Radio Jambo as the first female producer, SuperSport as a producer, and BBC Sport Africa as a journalist, producer, and researcher. Michelle has covered the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, World Cross Country, NBA Africa, and the Basketball Africa League. She's passionate about television production, OB production, content production, and floor management. Her byline appears in World Athletics, BBC Sport Africa, and The Continent.
