At the Kip Keino Classic held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, two Canadian athletes, Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg, successfully defended their hammer throw titles. This prestigious event is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour.
Camryn Rogers Dominates Women’s Hammer Throw
Camryn Rogers, hailing from Richmond, British Columbia, achieved her second consecutive victory in the women’s hammer throw. She secured a top throw of 80.03 metres, outperforming her closest rival, Rose Loga from France, by a remarkable 4.84 metres. Loga finished with a throw of 75.19 metres.
At 26 years old, Rogers is not only the current Olympic champion but also the reigning world champion, having won gold last summer. She improved upon her winning mark from the previous year’s Kip Keino Classic, where she achieved a throw of 77.93 metres.
Ethan Katzberg Claims Men’s Hammer Throw Title
Ethan Katzberg from Nanaimo, British Columbia, also excelled in the men’s hammer throw. He recorded a season-leading throw of 82.43 metres, making this his third consecutive victory at the Kip Keino Classic. Katzberg finished ahead of Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan, who secured the silver medal with a throw of 81.29 metres, and Volodymyr Myslyvcuk from the Czech Republic, who took third place with a throw of 77.71 metres.
Katzberg, aged 24, is a two-time world champion and holds the title of defending Olympic champion. His performance at the Kip Keino Classic marked a notable achievement, just 30 centimetres shy of his 2025 season-best throw of 84.70 metres, set at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Other Notable Performances
- Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya won the men’s 100-metres race with a time of 9.96 seconds.
- Toronto’s Aaron Brown finished third in the same event, clocking in at 10.15 seconds.
- Brown’s previous outdoor season record was 10.26 seconds at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational.
The Kip Keino Classic highlighted the immense talent in athletics, showcasing the impressive skills of Canadian athletes in the hammer throw. Their victories continue to place Canada on the global athletics stage.
