Representational file photo. Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala celebrates wining the men's 100 meters race during the third edition of Kip Keino Classic at the Kasarani stadium in Nairobi, Kenya May 7, 2022. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
Nairobi: Kenya's sports minister on Tuesday announced a switch in venue for this month's Kip Keino Classic due to the non-availability of the country's two main stadiums.
The decision was taken after the Nyayo National stadium, where six world-leading times were set last year, failed to beat the deadline of having a new running track completed to host the second-tier track and field event on May 31.
The second big track and field stadium at Kasarani in the northern suburb of the Kenyan capital is still undergoing renovations for this summer's African Nations Championship (CHAN) football tournament.
"The sixth edition of the Kip Keino Classic... was supposed to be held at the Nyayo National stadium but will now be staged at the Ulinzi military stadium within Nairobi," said Kenyan sports minister Salim Mvurya at a news conference in Nairobi.
It will be the first time that the 10,000-seater stadium, which had not been officially recognised as a certified competition venue by World Athletics, will stage one of Africa's biggest athletics competitions.
Mvurya said improvements will be made to the stadium by Saturday to ensure the facility meets all the criteria to stage the event.
The Kip Keino Classic attracts some of the world's leading athletes and has become a sprinter's favourite competition despite Kenya being known as a middle and long distance superpower.
The entry list for this year's event includes Kenya's African men's 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, the 2016 Olympic javelin gold medallist Thomas Roehler and the 2023 women's world 800m champion Mary Moraa of Kenya.
