Roundup: Olympic champions Katzberg, Rogers dominate at Nairobi's Kip Keino Classic

Canada Standard

01-06-2025

NAIROBI, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The sixth edition of the Absa Kip Keino Classic concluded here on Saturday with Canadian Olympic champions Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers reigning supreme in the men's and women's hammer throw competitions.
Elsewhere, a monumental upset occurred in the men's 100m final when Australia's Lachlan Kennedy clocked a personal best of 9.98 seconds, stunning South African sensation Bayanda Walaza and local hero Ferdinand Omanyala, the African record holder.
In the field, Katzberg lived up to expectations, securing his second Kip Keino Classic gold at the sixth World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting of the season. His powerful performance included a world-leading throw of 82.73m on his second attempt, showcasing strength, technique, and raw athleticism.
"Kenya feels like a second home. I started off my career here and that is why I love coming back plus I also keep posting good results here," said the ecstatic Canadian who lapped the adulation from the vocal supporters enthused.
In the women's hammer throw, Rogers claimed victory with a season-best throw of 77.93m, while Denmark's Katrine Koch Jacobsen and Janee Kassanavoid completed the podium with throws of 74.21m and 74.17m, respectively.
In the men's javelin, Brazil's double South American champion Luiz Mauricio Da Silva upset a strong field to win with a meet record of 86.34m. The 25-year-old opened with a first-round throw of 84.54m, then achieved his lifetime best in the second round to secure gold.
"It's been a great experience to come back to Kenya. This is my second time here, and I feel this was a good competition for me with solid series throws. Now, I need to prepare for this year's Tokyo Championships," said Luiz Mauricio Da Silva.
Local favorite Julius Yego, champion of the 2015 Beijing worlds, finished fifth with a throw of 78.74m in the second round, just behind Curtis Thomson of the United States, who threw 78.78m to narrowly miss the podium.
On the track, Norway's Amalie Iuel delivered a superb performance in the women's 400m hurdles, setting a new meet record of 54.80 seconds. Kristiina Halonen of Finland, running from lane four, clocked a personal best of 55.32 seconds for silver. Germany's Eileen Demes, with a personal best of 54.80 seconds, finished third in 55.38 seconds.
The final event of the afternoon saw a surprising result in the short sprints. Pre-race hype centered on a showdown between Omanyala, a two-time winner here, and Walaza, the newly crowned Guangzhou 2025 World Relays champion. After a false start that resulted in the field receiving a green card with no penalties, Kennedy raced off the blocks to claim gold with a lifetime best, while the South African took silver in 10.03 seconds. Omanyala finished four-hundredths of a second behind for bronze, earning his fourth Kip Keino Classic medal.
In the women's 100m, Maia McCoy led her Liberian compatriot Destiny Barnett-Smith to a 1-2 finish, clocking 11.21 seconds against 11.29 seconds. Egypt's Bassant Hemida took bronze in 11.49 seconds.