Absa Bank Kenya has today reaffirmed its commitment towards advancing sports and athletics in the country, unveiling a total investment of KES 60 million into the 2025 athletics calendar, which includes title sponsorship of this year’s Absa Kipkeino Classic. The Absa Kipkeino Classic 2025 will be held on 31 May 2025 at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Langata and will bring some of the biggest global and local names in athletics to compete on Kenyan soil.
Of this total investment, KES40 million goes directly to Athletics Kenya as rights fees and towards supporting the successful planning and execution of the 2025 Absa Kipkeino Classic event. The remaining amounts go to sponsoring other athletic events, including the Absa Sirikwa Classic, which took place in February this year, as well as the upcoming Athletics Kenya youth engagement.
Speaking during the official launch of the Kipkeino Classic Tour, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Salim Mvurya, lauded the private sector for supporting the government in growing sports in the country, singling out Absa Kenya.
“The Kipkeino Classic has grown into a world-class event in 6 years, and this has inspired the government to make more commitments towards the event,” said CS Mvurya. “I want to thank Absa Kenya for remaining steadfast in consistently supporting Athletics Kenya for the past 6 years, underscoring the value of public-private partnerships in growing sports in the country,” he further added.
Speaking about this year’s sponsorship, Absa Bank Kenya Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Mwihaki Wachira, reaffirmed the Bank’s ongoing commitment to investing in sports, including athletics as a way of supporting sporting talent in the country.
“We believe sport is a powerful force for national unity, pride, and empowering communities for progress. Over the last decade, we have invested over KES 1.3 billion in Kenyan sports from athletics to golf and football, seeing them as integral in connecting with Kenyans and as platforms to tell the inspiring stories of our athletes,” said Ms. Wachira.
She added: “Our partnership with Athletics Kenya, now in its 6th year, is about growing the sustainability of athletics and sports in general. Through this collaboration, the Absa Kip Keino Classic has become a world-class event, attracting global champions to compete in a country well known for its athletics prowess and showcasing Kenya as a serious athletics destination.”
This will be the 6th consecutive year that Absa Bank is supporting the Absa Kipkeino Classic as a title sponsor, underscoring the Bank’s long-term investment in athletics as a tool for national unity and pride, youth empowerment and social impact. This year’s sponsorship brings Absa’s total investment in the global showcase to KES 200 million over the past six years.
As a part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Series, the Absa Kipkeino Classic Tour continues to distinguish itself as a thrilling, top-ranking one-day athletics championship, attracting global elite athletes while providing a global stage for emerging local talent.
In total, 189 local and international athletes are expected at the Absa Kipkeino Classic 2025 event, with 59 Kenyans athletes featuring. Some of the biggest names anticipated include local favourites Ferdinand Omanyala and Otieno Mark who will tussle with Olympic gold medallist Jerome Blake, World U20 Champion Bayada Walaza and World Indoor 60m silver medallist Laclan Kennedy in the men’s 100m. Other athletes expected at the meet include Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji will be competing here for the first time and is expected to light up the 200m race as well as Botswana’s fastest woman Tsaone Sebele. Local favourites Wiseman Were and Mary Moraa will also be in action.
On his part, the Athletics Kenya President, General Jackson Tuwei, expressed optimism that thousands of fans would turn up at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, with millions more tuning in globally.
“The Absa Kipkeino Classic has become one of Africa’s most memorable events thanks to strong partnerships like the one Athletics Kenya has with Absa. We look forward to welcoming world-class athletes to the Kenyan stage and assure the public of a thrilling day of sports as the world turns its attention to Kenya,” said General Tuwei. “This will be the perfect battle ground ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.”
The Absa Kipkeino Classic 2025 will also feature kids’ athletics as part of the World Athletics programme, which is designed to inspire the next generation of athletes.
As part of its continued partnership with Athletics Kenya, Absa Bank Kenya also supported the Sirikwa World Athletics Gold Cross Country held in February this year, an event that showcased the highest level of competition in Kenyan cross-country and set the foundation for Kenya to host global cross-country events.
