America's Chelimo to take on Kenyan men in 1,500m contest
USA's Paul Chelimo (left) competes next to Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli in the men's 5000m final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 6, 2021.
What you need to know:
- At the same time, Olympic 200m silver medallist Fred Kerley is among the first foreign athletes to arrive for the Kip Keino Classic at 11.55pm on Tuesday
- Chelimo, the 2019 World 5,000m silver medallist, is among a huge entry of foreign athletes especially from Ethiopia to grace the event
- Meeting director Barnaba Korir disclosed that Ethiopian athletes also dot the 5,000m race that is also in the Discretionary category
Tokyo Olympic 5,000m bronze medallist, Kenyan-born Paul Chelimo of the United States will face defending champion Vincent Keter and Kenyan champion Abel Kipsang in men’s 1,500m at the Kip Keino Classic on Saturday.
At the same time, Olympic 200m silver medallist Fred Kerley is among the first foreign athletes to arrive for the Kip Keino Classic at 11.55pm on Tuesday.
Chelimo, the 2019 World 5,000m silver medallist, is among a huge entry of foreign athletes especially from Ethiopia to grace the event where Keter, the 2021 World Under-20 1,500m champion, won last year in 3:35.99.
The Ethiopians in the mix are Wegene Addisu, who lost the world Under-20 battle to Keter to settle for silver, the 2019 Ethiopian champion Adisu Girma and Melkamu Zegeye.
The 2018 Africa 1,500m bronze medallist Ronald Musagala from Uganda, the 2016 World Indoor 800m silver medallist Antoine Gakeme of Burundi will also vie for top honours in the metric mile race.
Besides Keter and Kipsang, the other Kenyans in the Discretionary category race are the 2016 World Under-20 1,500m champion Kumari Taki, World Under-20 1,500m record holder Ronald Kwemoi and Charles Simotwo.
Meeting director Barnaba Korir disclosed that Ethiopian athletes also dot the 5,000m race that is also in the Discretionary category.
Milkesa Mengesha, who represented Ethiopian in 5,000m at 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games to finish 10th in the final, and compatriot Nibret Melak take the battle to defending champion Jacob Krop and national 5,000m champion Daniel Simiu.
Korir also released the names of the athletes who will feature in men’s 10,000m and men and women’s 400m hurdles and men’s 400m.
Newly crowned 400m champion Collins Omae will highlight the category that also has 2015 Africa Games silver medallist Boniface Mweresa and fast-rising William Ryan.
National 400m hurdles champion Wiseman Were (men), who is also the World Relays mixed shuttle bronze medallist, and Jane Chege (women) are favourites to win their specialty.
Were hopes to wrestle the title from Nicholas Kiprotich while the women’s race will have a new champion with Venice Kerubo, the Africa Games 400m hurdles champion, not in action.
Two-time World 10,000m bronze medallist Paul Tanui will highlight the men’s 10,000m alongside 2016 Africa 10,000m silver medallist Wilfred Kimitei.
