Kenyan Mercy Oketch set a new 400m national record to win the sixth edition of the KipKeino Classic Tour race held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi.

Oketch delivered a blistering pace to cross the line in 50.14 seconds, ahead of Uganda’s Leni Shida, who finished runner-up in a personal best of 50.39 seconds.

Mercy Chebet, who also ran a personal best of 51.52 seconds, wrapped up the podium finish.

With the performance, the 2024 Africa Military Games 400m silver medalist shattered the record of 50.38 previously held by her mentor, Mary Moraa.

Ticket to Tokyo

The feat, coming well under the 50.75 Tokyo benchmark, assured the Kenyan participation in the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

“I feel happy with the time I have clocked. I have set a new national record and snatched it from my mentor Mary Moraa and qualified for the World Championships,” Oketch said.

“I intended to break the national record and make the world championships, and I’m grateful I did that… It wasn’t easy, though, since it took hard work and consistency,” she added.

The Kipkeino Classic victory added to Oketch’s impressive streak. coming after an equally strong showing at the World Relays Championships that concluded on May 12, 2025, in China.

She was part of the Kenyan mixed relay team alongside David Sanayek, Mercy Chebet and Brian Tinega that earned Kenya its only medal (bronze) in Guangzhou with a season-best 3:13.10.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Wiseman Were shrugged off tough competition to finish first with a personal best of 48.34.

 The Commonwealth Games champion led Botswana’s Kemorena Tisang, with another Kenyan, Rotich Kipkorir, coming third.

Aiming for Sub -47

Were, who also qualified for the Tokyo Games after beating the 48.50 qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships, however, revealed that his target remains on achieving a sub-47 in the race.

“I feel good with the performance. I’m a sub-47:00 athlete, though I did not achieve that. I’m happy with the victory. I will now sharpen on the hurdle clearance as I prepare for the Diamond League,” Were said.

Brian Tinega, Oketch’s teammate in the Kenya mixed 4×1400 relays, won the men’s 400m race.

Other winners included Abel Kipsang, who won the 1500 m race in a time of 3:35.09.

Edmund Serem, who beat Ethiopian Dinka Fikadu at the wire to emerge the best in the 3000 m steeplechase.

African 800m silver medallist Lilian Odira won the women’s 800m race, clocking a personal best of 1:58.31 ahead of Nowe Oratile from Botswana.

African champion Sarah Moraa completed the podium in third place with another personal best of 1:58.96.