Absa Kip Keino Classic: Gatis wins javelin crown as Yego winds up last
Latvia's Cakss Gatis takes part in the men's javelin throw during the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on April 20, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Gatis, 28, stunned the 2016 Rio Olympic Games javelin champion Thomas Röhler from Germany and 2015 world champion Kenya’s Julius Yego to win
- Gatis’ first haul of 81.74 metres was enough to win the championship as the rest of the pack chased in vain as Rohler’s second throw of season’s best 80.62m saw him settle second
- Yego finished ninth and last with a throw of 72.25m while compatriot Alex Kiprotich was eighth with a throw of 74.63m
The 2014 world under-20 champion Cakss Gatis from Latvia is the new Absa Kip Keino Classic javelin champion.
Gatis, 28, stunned the 2016 Rio Olympic Games javelin champion Thomas Röhler from Germany and 2015 world champion Kenya’s Julius Yego to win.
Gatis’ first haul of 81.74 metres was enough to win the championship as the rest of the pack chased in vain as Rohler’s second throw of season’s best 80.62m saw him settle second.
Belgian national champion Timothy Herman managed a season's best 79.94 for third place. Yego finished ninth and last with a throw of 72.25m while compatriot Alex Kiprotich was eighth with a throw of 74.63m.
Kenya's Julius Yego takes part in the men's javelin throw during the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on April 20, 2024.
“I am so happy to be in Kenya and of course my first time in Africa and I'm so glad to have won today,” said Gatis, adding that it’s a show of good things to come later in the season.
“The season has started well and competing against friendly athletes was such an honour for me. I'm really excited and the crowd also made it more interesting,” said Gatis.
National triple jump champion Isaac Kirwa sealed a hat-trick, winning men’s event after scaling 15.95m, beating fellow countryman Gilbert Kemoi to second place in 15.59m as Philip Musyoka managed 15.47m for third.
