Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo to compete at Kip Keino Classic, sets epic clash with Omanyala

Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo will be one of the stars who will highlight this year’s Kip Keino Classic which is scheduled to take place on Saturday 20 April at the Nyayo National Stadium, Kip Keino Classic race director Barnaba Korir has confirmed.

“Letsile Tebogo confirmed his participation yesterday and for us as organisers, this promises to make this year’s Kip Keino even more exciting as he will go head to head with our Ferdinand Omanyala,” Korir said as he hyped the imminent clash between the continent’s top sprinters in the 100 metres.

Speedstar @LetsileTebogo2 announced for @KipKeinoClassic .

Wonder what distance he will enter... pic.twitter.com/02MYozpaXx

— Lynne Wachira (@WachiraLynne) March 28, 2024

Korir also said that work is underway to get the running track at the Nyayo National Stadium repaired ahead of the event.

“We have had discussions with technical officials from Belgium and Germany and as well as others from Kenya. We are in full swing and with the support from the Sports CS Ababu Namwamba and Sports PS Peter Tum, we are on course to get the track ready in time for the competition,” Korir.

“Hosting the Kip Keino is big for Kenya as it puts us in a position to contribute to the development of athletics in Kenya and the continent and we want to carry on with our ability to attract top stars to compete in our land,” Korir added.

Tebogo’s participation sets the stage for a grand battle with Kenya’s 100 metres sensation Ferdinand Omanyala who has been a dominant force in the event at the Kip Keino Classic since its introduction as event in the Kenya stage of the Continental Gold Tour in 2021. The Kip Kein Classi was first held in 2020 and the first year of the event did not feature the men’s 100 metres race.

In 2021, Omanyala set a new African record in the 100 metres with a time of 9.77s after he finished second to American Trayvon Bromell who won that race with a time of 9.76s.

In 2022, Omanyala clocked 9.85s to finish ahead of American Fred Kerley who was second in 9.92s. Kerley had earlier set a meet record during the heats with a time of 9.76s.

In 2023, Omanyala defended his title by improving on his time by 0.01s after crossing the finish line with a time of 9.84s.

Omanyala and Tebogo have run against each other seven times in the 100 metres and so far the Kenyan has the upper hand with six finishes ahead of his Botswana rival.

The 20-year old athlete has fond memories of competing in Nairobi having won the gold medal in the 100 metres at the World U20 Championships held in Kenya’s capital in 2021. Tebogo went on to defend his title one year later in Cali, Colombia.

In 2023, Tebogo made his first appearance at the World Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, and announced his arrival at the big stage with a silver medal in 100 metres and a bronze medal in the 200 metres. His time of 9.88s in the 100 metres final in Budapest saw him set a new national record, and personal best, in the event.

The athlete is the most on-form sprinter in the world this year having run world leading times in the 400 metres (44.29s), 300 metres (30.69s), and 200 metres (19.94s) this year. Therefore, his participation at the Kip Keino Classic is one that will be highly anticipated by athletics enthusiasts.

The current world leading time in the 100 metres is held by Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown who ran 10.02s at the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational in Miami, Florida, on March 23, 2024.

Should Tebogo beat his time at the Kip Keino Classic, he will become the first sprinter in history to simultaneously hold world leading times in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 300 metres, and 400 metres.