Kip Keino Classic: Gabby Thomas sets meet record after double victory in Nairobi

Fresh from a win at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, three time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas set a meet record and World Lead of 21:89 at the Kip Keino Classic held on Friday, 24 April at the Nyayo Stadium.

Her close competitor Cambrea Sturgis came in second in 21:93, with Kenya’s Millicent Ndoro completing the podium in a personal best of 23:21.

Thomas, visibly thrilled after the race, spoke glowingly about her experience competing in Kenya, crediting both the atmosphere and her growing form despite a recent injury setback.

“I am really enjoying Kenya. The crowd is so much fun. We get a lot more winded here. Coming from a win in Ethiopia, this has been very special. I feel in good shape despite coming from an injury, especially at this point of the season. Honestly, looking up to more this season,” she said.

The 29-year-old has been building strong momentum this season, having opened her campaign with a commanding 11.00-second win at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on April 4.

Her African tour has proven fruitful, with back-to-back victories in Addis Ababa and Nairobi, and she is now set to wrap it up at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on Sunday, 26 April.

Thomas’ resurgence comes after a challenging 2025 season, where she was forced to withdraw from the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 due to a persistent Achilles tendon injury.

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Despite qualifying with a third-place finish at the U.S. Outdoor Championships, she opted to prioritize recovery following a demanding Olympic cycle. In her absence, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden went on to claim the world title, with Amy Hunt finishing second.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Mercy Oketch brought the home crowd to life with a brilliant run in the women’s 400m, clinching gold in a season-best time of 50.17 seconds.

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American Paris Peoples settled for second place in 51.06. At the same time, Mercy Chebet continued her fine form to secure third in 51.14, just days after clocking a personal best at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix.