Olympic Champion Marcell Jacobs set for Kip Keino Classic

Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs from Italy is among the big names set to participate at the Kip Keino Classic slated for May 7 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Jacobs will battle it out with Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala and Olympic 200m silver medalist, American Fred Kerley in what is expected to be hotly contested nine-lane race.

“This is one of the strongest line up to be assembled in a 100m race. It shows how this meet has grown over the past three seasons. It is also worth noting that the 100m race will be run a nine lanes,” said Meeting director Barnaba Korir

Jacobs has not competed since winning the world indoor 60m title in a European record time of 6.41 seconds in Serbia on March 19, this year having won the 60m race in 6.50 seconds at the World Athletics Indoor Tour leg of the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais.

“World tour is starting, let’s go! My 100 meters debut in Nairobi, Kenya,” said the 27-year-old Jacobs.

Born in Texas on September 26, 1994, to an Italian mother, Jacobs succeeded Usain Bolt as the ‘World’s Fastest Man’.

He currently holds the 100m European record, the 60m European record, and is the first Italian to ever qualify for and win the men’s 100m Olympic final.

Besides Omanyala, Jacobs and Kerley, the men’s race has attracted Americans Mike Rogers, who won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019 World Athletics Championships and Isaiah Young.

The women’s 100m has two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaican, Tokyo Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia and American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson among others.

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