Korir rallies local fans for Kip Keino Classic showdown
By Joel Masibo, April 23, 2026Meet director and 1st deputy president of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), Barnaba Korir, has rallied local fans and athletics enthusiasts to throng the Nyayo National Stadium for the 2026 Kip Keino Classic on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Speaking to NOC-K ahead of the showdown, Korir noted that it is the fans who determine the success of any sporting event. With event organisers confirming free entry to the event, Korir has challenged spectators to take advantage of the entry fee waiver and support local athletes, who hold world records.
Korir’s call
“It’s always the fans who make the difference in any sporting event, so come one, come all! Fill the stadium, represent your federation, and be part of something special. Come, witness the Kip Keino Classic; this is where the magic happens!” Kori said.
Reading from the same script as Korir, Africa’s 100m record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala has urged local fans to turn up in their numbers and support Team Kenya at Nyayo.
”If you miss the Kip Keino Classic on the 24th, no excuses, traffic? Not valid! My phone died? Not valid! Overslept? Definitely… Not valid, just be at Nyayo Stadium on the 24th of April,” Omanyala said on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, via Kip Keino Classic’s official Facebook page.
Omanyala stunned
Omanyala was denied his Kip Keino Classic title after settling for third in a star-studded men’s 100m final in the 2025 edition at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. The 2022 Commonwealth Games champion clocked 10.07 seconds in a fiercely contested race, where Australia’s World Indoor silver medallist Kennedy Lachlan stole the show with a lifetime best of 9.98.
Meanwhile, top international track and field names such as Gabby Thomas, Camryn Rogers, and Ethan Katzberg are among the major attractions expected when the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold arrives in Nairobi for the Kip Keino Classic.
Previous editions of this prestigious meet have produced numerous regional and national best performances.
With the installation of a brand-new track, the addition of advanced wavelight pacing technology, a strong lineup of elite athletes, and the programme now set for the evening rather than the afternoon, the seventh staging of the event is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling yet.