Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is set to host a multiplicity of Athletes at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani in Nairobi on May 7.
Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs from Italy and Olympic 200m silver medallist, American Fred Kerley competing at the Kip Keino Classic could produce historic moments.
The clash is in the offing after Jacobs who is the Olympic champion confirmed his participation to face the Africa record holder Omanyala in the forthcoming Kip Keino Classic a leg of the World Athletics Diamond Tour.
This will be the second time Omanyala will be facing Jacobs after the World Athletics Indoor Tour leg of the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais on February 17 this year in Levin, France.
Omanyala settled for the fourth position as Jacobs won the 60m race in 6.50 seconds.
Jacobs welcomed his maiden trip to Kenya on his social media forums. “World tour is starting, let’s go! My 100 meters debut in Nairobi, Kenya,” said the 27-year-old Jacobs.
However, Jacobs has not competed since winning the world indoor 60m title in a European record time of 6.41 seconds in Serbia on March 19, this year.
Jacobs upset the odds to scorch to victory in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium, winning in a new European record of 9.80 seconds.
Jacobs currently holds the 100m European record, the 60m European record, and is the first Italian to ever qualify for and win the men’s 100m Olympic final.
Besides Omanyala, Jacobs and Kerley, the men’s race has attracted Americans Mike Rogers, who won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships and Isaiah Young.
South Africans Gift Leotlela, the 4x100m gold medallist from the 2021 World Relay Championships and 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships 200m bronze medallist Sinesipho Dambile are also expected to showcase their talent.
According to the organizer, the women’s 100m has two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaican, Tokyo Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia and American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.