El Bakkali in Kenya for Kip Keino Classic

Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco is the first foreign athlete to arrive in Kenya ahead of the Kipkeino Classic set for September 18.

El Bakkali touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Saturday morning accompanied by his trainer Karim Tlemcani.

“I am so happy to be in Kenya. I like this country and its champions. I am looking forward to having a very good race at the Kipkeino Classic which I am very happy the organisers invited me to compete in Kenya,” said Bakkali.

The Moroccan is fresh from finishing second at the Diamond League final in Zurich on Thursday, a race won by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen.

El Bakkali ended Kenya’s long dominance in the steeplechase race at the Olympics when he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Games last month.

Kenya had captured the discipline at all editions since 1968 apart from two editions that the country boycotted.

The 25-year-old also ended a 17-year Olympic gold medal drought for Morocco.

“Kenya has been very dominant at the Olympics for a very long time but for the Tokyo Games we had really worked hard with my coach in training and it was a great feeling bagging a gold medal in Tokyo,” Bakkali said.

With Kipkeino being the final leg of the 2021 Continental Tour Gold series and also the final event of the 2021 athletics calendar, Tlemcani said they are eyeing a strong end to the season.

“He (Bakkali) insisted he wanted to compete in Kenya since this is the only meeting in Africa similar to the Diamond League leg in Rabat which Kenyans have been competing in,” said Tlemcani.

The Kipkeino Classic that is set for official launch on Monday has already attracted a stellar field that also include Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda, Olympic hammer throw champion Wojciech Nowicki of Poland.

Others are; Olympic 100 silver medallist Fred Kerley of USA, Olympic 200m silver medallist Christine Mboma of Namibia among others.