Fast-rising sprinter Beatrice Masilingi from Namibia has confirmed participation in the Absa Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event which will be held on May 7 in Nairobi.
It will be the first time the 19-year-old, who claimed silver medal in 100 metres and 200m races at the 2021 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, is participating at the Kip Keino Classic.
Masilingi joins an impressive line-up for women’s 100m race that has some of the world’s finest sprinters, including her fellow countrywoman Christine Mboma, whom she is yet to beat this season.
It will be interesting as Mboma and Masilingi once again take their battle of supremacy to Nairobi they will face Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, and American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.
Just this year, Masilingi, who reached the women’s 200m final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she settled sixth, is yet to beat Mboma, a silver medallist in the 200m from the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
On January 15, Masilingi lost the 100m battle to Mboma at the AN Grand Prix Leg 1 at Vineta Stadium in Swakopmund, Namibia, clocking 11.37sec to finish second behind Mboma who won in11.25.
The two then took their battle for supremacy to South Africa on March 16 at the ASA Athletics Grand Prix 1 at Mangaung Athletics Stadium in Bloemfontein where Mboma ran 11.15 against Masilingi’s 11.24.
Their third meeting over 100m was at the UAB Spring Invitational, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama in the United States of America on April 2.
Mboma again prevailed over Masilingi in personal best time of 11.03 against her competitor’s 11.24. Mboma went on to win the 200m race in 22.12 at the same event, relegating Masilingi to second place in 22.56.
Mboma proceeded to run 10.90 at Little Rock Twilight, Coleman Sports Complex, Little Rock, Arizona on April 15 but her victory in 100m was judged as wind-assisted at +2.8.
“We expect more conformations as the week ends,” said the race director Barnaba Korir, adding that experts from Belgium-based sports management company Golazo Sport which is organising the event, are expected to arrive in the country today from Belgium and Germany to put in place broadcast and other technical equipment.
Korir said America’s 2020 Olympic Games 200m silver medallist Fred Kerley will be among the first athletes to arrive on Tuesday for the one-day championships.
“The electronic timing system will be put in place at the stadium starting tomorrow (Saturday) alongside other live broadcast equipment. We also expect the refurbishment of the media tribune to start immediately,” Korir told Nation Sport. BY DAILY NATION