Brume, Okezie join global stars for Kip Keino Classic News

Nigeria’s long jump star, Ese Brume, and African Games 400m champion, Chidi Okezie, are set to compete at the Kip Keino Classic on Thursday at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.

The prestigious World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting will assemble elite athletes from across Africa and beyond, offering significant prize money as well as valuable world ranking points.

For Brume, the competition marks her first appearance in the long jump this season. Her only outing so far this year came in the 100m at the 44 Farms Team Invitational in Texas on April 11, where she finished eighth in 12.11s.

The Nigerian will be aiming for a strong return to her primary event against a competitive field that includes the United States’ Tionna Tobias and Burkina Faso’s national record-holder Marthe Koala, both boasting personal bests of 6.94m. Fellow Nigerian Ruth Usoro is also entered and will look to improve on her season’s best of 6.65m.

Okezie, meanwhile, continues his busy campaign and will be making his fifth appearance of the season. His most recent outing was at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, where he placed third in the 200m.

In Nairobi, he steps back into the 400m, lining up against a formidable field that includes Zambia’s Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga, South Africa’s world relay bronze medallist Zakithi Nene, and American indoor silver medallist Brian Faust—setting the stage for a highly competitive race.

The meeting will also feature several global stars. American sprint sensation Gabby Thomas, a multiple Olympic and world champion, is entered in both the 100m and 200m events, replicating the double she successfully completed in Addis Ababa last weekend.

In the men’s sprints, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, will be looking to improve on his 9.98s performance from the same meet, while a strong international field is expected to challenge across both the 100m and 200m.

With a history of record-breaking performances, the Kip Keino Classic continues to grow in stature on the global athletics calendar.

This year’s edition is expected to be particularly memorable, with the introduction of a new track, the use of wavelight pacing technology, and a shift in scheduling from afternoon to evening—factors that could contribute to faster times and thrilling contests across events.