Kip Keino Classic 2024: Kenny Bednarek wins 100m as Katzberg, Moraa, Lindsey and Ndori set world leads

Kenny Bednarek showed exactly why he wants to double up at Paris 2024 by winning the 100m at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi on Saturday (20 April).

As the rain lashed down inside the Nyayo National Stadium, the American upstaged home favourite Ferdinand Omanyala by powering clear to win in 9.91 seconds with a following wind of 2.2m/s, just above the legal limit.

Emmanuel Matadi of Liberia was second in 9.99 with Britain’s Jeremiah Azu clocking 10.00 in third. Italy’s Chituru Ali (10.01) was fourth with Omanyala only fifth in 10.03.

Olympic 200m world silver medallist Bednarek had opened his season with a half-lap victory in Florida over Christian Coleman two weeks ago before being edged out in last weekend’s Tom Jones Memorial 100m by Noah Lyles.

Bednarek’s was one of several world lead performances at the second World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting of 2024, which was dry until a downpour near the close of proceedings.

In a star-studded men’s hammer competition, world champion Ethan Katzberg made the best possible start to the Paris 2024 Olympic year.

The Canadian produced a fifth-round effort of 84.38m, the longest throw in almost 16 years and over three metres beyond his previous personal best, to win comfortably from Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan (80.76m)

Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki (79.14m) was third with another Pole, five-time world champion Pawel Fajdek (75.82m), in fourth.

World champion Mary Moraa was hugely impressive as she delighted the home fans by taking victory on her seasonal debut over 800m.

The 23-year-old led after the pacemaker dropped out, and stayed well clear of her rivals to cross the line in a world lead 1:57.96. Uganda’s former world champion Halimah Nakaayi finished in fifth place.