Kip Keino Classic nets former African 400m record holder

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ATHLETICS Kip Keino Classic nets former African 400m record holder

Festus Chuma 21:00 - 24.04.2023

The 37-year-old announced his retirement from Botswana Team in August last year.

Former African 400m record holder Isaac Makwala will grace this year's Kip Keino Classic at the Kasarani Stadium on Saturday, May 13.

The 37-year-old sprinter, who had declared his intentions to hang up his spikes at the end of the last season, will compete in the 200m race.

Makwala expects to set up a mouthwatering duel with American Kyree King and Canadian Aaron Brown.

"My preparations have been going on well and so on May 13 I will be ready for the Nairobi challenge," Makwala said.

It will be the second time the legendary Botswana athlete will participate in the Kip Keino Classic.

In the event's last edition, Makwala finished third, clocking 20.31 behind winner Aaron Brown (20.05) and Kyree King (20.18).

Makwala was at his peak in 2016 when he became the first man in history to run sub-20 seconds in the 200m and sub-44 seconds in the 400m (43.92s) on the same day at an IAAF challenge meeting in Madrid, Spain.

Meanwhile, the Kip Keino Classic organizers have confirmed that Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be at the event.

During the 2022 event, Fraser-Pryce timed a world lead of 10.67 to win the women's 100m at the same venue before clocking at the same time to win the world title in Oregon, United States, in July.