The sixth edition of the Absa Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series has lived up to its billing at Ulinzi Sports Complex, Nairobi.
Fans came in their numbers, from far and wide, to witness the athletics spectacle, and not even the Sh2000 and Sh200 charges for VIP and regular entrance at the gate could deter them from gracing the colourful showpiece.
The spectators were largely drawn to the championship by the calibre of athletes who jetted into the country from all corners of the globe to look for glory in the challenge.
From American Maia MacCoy, who is currently the African 100m silver medallist, to former Olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler, who managed to retain his last year’s silver in the championship, they both lit up the event.
Cheers and jeers rent the air when African sprint king and continental men’s 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala lined up to take on South Africa’s teenage sensation Bayanda ‘Wobble Wobble’ Walaza in the highly expectant race.
The decibels, raised by the fans and the cheering squads from the disciplined forces, rent the air through screams, whistles, and vuvuzelas, which were completely deafening. Fans could hardly hear each other in the stadium.
Various organisations, including the government that sunk Sh300 million and title sponsors Absa Bank Kenya, who supported the event to a tune of Sh60 million, all jostled for spaces to make their lovely brands visible to the boisterous crowd.
“We are contented with the whole event, the solid planning and organisation that was put in place has just revealed that the championship is growing from strength to strength each season,” Mwihaki Wachira, Absa Bank Kenya Marketing and Corporate Affairs Director, stated.
Without a doubt the event made Nairobi’s economy boom at the weekend. Hotels were fully booked, and the whole financial ecosystem flowed from boda boda riders to Uber and taxi drivers to matatus plying Lang’ata and Rongai routes, which were all jammed and packed by revellers headed to or leaving the championship.
Hawkers made a killing with vendors selling miniature Kenyan flags, which were snapped up in droves, including the caps. The vendors also sold shoes and jerseys branded with Kenyan logos, which spectators couldn’t tell whether they were fake or authentic.
Foodstuffs, cold drinks, barbecues, and buffets were sold like hot cakes to the hungry crowd.
The adjacent Wilson Airport, one of the busiest airport fields in East and Central Africa, came to a standstill as a result of the championship, as all the planes landing or taking off in the afternoon were diverted to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Security was so tight at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, which is also being manned by the military, with both aerial and ground surveillance being done by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The traffic policemen manned the busy routes leading to Lang’ata estate and Rongai, which are adjacent to the venue, with the hawk-eyed KDF soldiers having total control of the championship entrance.
No one was allowed entry without their national identity card, even if they had tickets for the races.
The championship opening ceremony was very colourful, with various music groups belting out contemporary and topical genres that resonated well with the audiences.
It was lovely to see how spectators were gyrating to hits like ‘Mali Safi Chito, Sweet Love by Marakwet Daughter and Anguka Nayo by Jabidii.
Furthermore, the crowd went wild when the artist of the day stepped on the stage to bring the roof down. Comedians like Erick Omondi also capitalised on the opportunity to produce hilarious adverts for the championship that left athletics fans in stitches.
The presence of various athletics agents from across the world and from Kenya’s Home of Champions, Iten, could be felt as they scrutinised emerging talents they are eager to ‘lure’ into their camps.
Ahead of the championship, World Athletics and the government organised a workshop for journalists that prepared the scribes for intense coverage that saw the championship beamed to the rest of the world live and with lots of ease.
Ochieng Oyugi
| May 31, 2025