Being an Olympic year, the 3rd MoC Grand Prix is revving up as one of the most anticipated events of the 2021 season and perhaps, the biggest Track & Field competition on Nigerian soil since 2018, when Asaba hosted the African Championships with nine (9) African countries currently registered to compete and nearly 1000 athletes!
One of the nine (9) African countries whose athletes have shown such interest towards the two-day event, slated for March 30th and 31st at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos State, is Kenya.
The country’s representation will be spearheaded by Mark Otieno Odhiambo, the National Record (NR) holder in the 100m with a Personal Best (PB) of 10.14s and Ferdinand Omanyala Omurwa who kicked off 2021 on a good note with a PB of 10.29s.
Earlier this month, Omurwa ran a marginally windy 10.18s and placed 2nd in a clash against Odhiambo, where the latter returned a Season’s Best (SB) of 10.29s, running into a 2.9m/s headwind.
They will both be competing in the 100m and 200m.
The country will infact be well represented in the sprints as Mike Mokamba, former NR holder in the 100m will attempt his first 100m race of the season. He has run two 200m finals this year, both of which he won, with a best of 20.96s and is also registered for the longer sprint in Lagos.
Completing the short sprints set is Maximila Imali with PBs of 11.64s and 24.41s in the 100m and 200m and is entered for the Long Jump as well, having won all of her seven (7) finals on home soil this season across all three events.
Moving up in distance, Joseph Poghisio Loshangar and Evangeline Makena will attempt the men and women’s 400m respectively. Loshangar has a PB of 45.85s over the 400m and is also entered for the 200m where he’ll make a debut, while Makena clocked a PB of 54.10s at the 2nd AK Meeting this season.
Newton Kipngetich is registered for the 800m, while Sharon Kipchumba who ran an impressive PB of 4:36.67 earlier this month is entered for her event, the women’s 1500m.
Other athletes who have also shown interest in competing are Mercy Jelagat (1500m), Bravin Kiprop (800m, 1500m), Evans Kiptanui (1500m) and Hillary Kemboi (1500m).
