Double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon is eager to reclaim the women's 1500m title in the fourth edition of the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour Gold meeting at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday.
The double world champion is inspired following her victory in the opening leg of the 2023 Diamond League Series in Doha, Qatar on Friday where she set a world lead of 3:58.57.
Kipyegon destroyed a large field of international stars in the second edition of the Kip Keino Classic in 2021, but did not defend the title last year.
She jetted into the country yesterday morning from Doha in order ahead of the race on Saturday. She will be training at Ngong ahead of the weekend showpiece.
"I'm very much ready to go for the honours at the Kip Keino Classic, but again this will depend on the final decision by my agent," she stated.
"I will make up my mind by Tuesday or Wednesday. At the moment, I'm wishing all the athletes preparing for the race success. Hopefully, I will be able to join them on track on Saturday," she said.
Kipyegon hinted that she wants Kip Keino Classic and other forthcoming races to form part of her build-up schedules for her quest to go for a third world title in Budapest, Hungary in August.
She reiterated that her mission is not only to go for the three-peat in Budapest but to also break the elusive world record that evaded.
Her dream to smash the global record has also been inspired with her victory in Doha which she termed as a step in the right direction for the year.
"Winning in Qatar on Friday night proved to me that this will be a very fruitful season," she said.
In order to realise her dream of breaking the world record, Kipyegon said she will embark on a very elaborate training which will be coupled with a healthy lifestyle.
"I believe nothing is impossible in this world, I'll keep on trying, I'm confident this year will really be good for me," she said
Other international stars who will line up for glory at the Kip Keino Classic are Africa fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, double Olympic women's 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica), sixth fastest woman of all time Sha'carri Richardson (USA), multiple Olympic medalist Aaron Brown (Canada) among others.
Elsewhere, the Grande Premio Internacional de Rio Maior on Saturday - the latest Gold stop on the World Athletics Race Walking Tour - produced wins for Yang Jiayu and Brian Pintado - but the races couldn't have been more different.
The women's world record-holder had to throw herself over the finish fo to beat three-time winner Qieyang Shijie.
