Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas is set to face off against Kenya’s national outdoor and indoor 400m record holder Mercy Oketch in a highly anticipated 400m clash at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24.
Kip Keino Classic meet director Barnaba Korir confirmed that Thomas will step up to the one-lap test, opting for the 400m instead of her preferred 100m and 200m.
“We will not be having the women’s 200m. Gabby Thomas will not be running in her specialty; she will be running the 400m,” Korir revealed. He underscored the significance of the 2023 world 200m silver medallist gracing the Nairobi showpiece, noting her star power will elevate the meet.
“She is one of the best female athletes who will be attending the Kip Keino Classic. It is very important that she will be there to enhance the event itself,” he added.
The 29-year-old has already burst out of the blocks in 2026, storming to a commanding victory at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on April 4, where she clocked 11.00 secs to lay down an early-season marker.
Before touching down in Nairobi, Thomas will line up at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix on April 18, then head to Kenya before proceeding to the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 26. Thomas enters the 2026 season re-energised after an injury-hit 2025 that kept her on the sidelines for long spells, including the Tokyo World Championships, due to a persistent Achilles issue.
The American boasts a glittering résumé, headlined by her Olympic 200m gold in Paris, where she also completed a relay double, striking gold in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m. She is also the 2023 World Championships 200-metre silver medalist and a relay gold winner with Team USA in Budapest, further underscoring her pedigree with double gold at the 2024 World Relays.
Meanwhile, Oketch has been in scintillating form since launching her 2026 campaign. She obliterated the national indoor 400m record at the World Indoor Championships on March 21 in Torun, Poland, stopping the clock at an impressive 51.25. For the first time, the Kip Keino Classic will be staged under the lights, with Korir assuring fans of top-tier security arrangements.
“We are assuring the fans that there will be proper security. Athletics Kenya has had meetings with the police, as well as the county security teams and the National Youth Service,” he said.
Fans are also in for a full house experience, with entertainment lined up to complement the track action.
“We will also have entertainment, with Iyaani headlining to blend athletics with entertainment,” he added.