The Ministry of Sports has allocated Ksh 300 million for the organisation of the 6th Absa KipKeino Classic continental tour set for the Ulinzi Sports Complex on the 31st of this month.
This was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, during yesterday’s launch, where he also assured that the ongoing preparations at the Ulinzi Sports Complex will be complete by this Saturday ahead of the gold tour meet, which will be the 6th stop this year in the World Athletics category A events.
“The Kipkeino Classic has grown into a world-class event in 6 years, and this has inspired the government to make more commitments towards the event,” said CS Mvurya.
CS Mvurya rallied behind Kenyans to fill the 10,000-capacity stadium to cheer Kenyan athletes as they take on the rest of the world.
Absa Bank, who will be the title sponsors of the event for a sixth year running, pumped Ksh 60 million, including 40 to go towards planning and a further Ksh 20 million in kind.
Speaking about this year’s sponsorship, Absa Bank Kenya Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Mwihaki Wachira, reaffirmed the Bank’s ongoing commitment to investing in sports, including athletics as a way of supporting sporting talent in the country.
“We believe sport is a powerful force for national unity, pride, and empowering communities for progress. Over the last decade, we have invested over KES 1.3 billion in Kenyan sports from athletics to golf and football, seeing them as integral in connecting with Kenyans and as platforms to tell the inspiring stories of our athletes,” said Ms. Wachira.
This year’s edition, which has been divided into national, discretionary and core events, has attracted a total of 189 athletes, among them 59 Kenyans.
Top track athletes will be in action, among them the 2019 World bronze medallist Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland .
Also featuring will be field event superstars, including the 2016 Olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler of Germany, two-time world javelin champion Anderson Peters from Grenada and reigning hammer throw world champion Ethan Katzberg from Germany .
The one-day event was moved from Nyayo Stadium to Ulinzi Sports Complex due to ongoing renovations.
