US sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Marvin Bracy (© Getty Images)
Organisers of the Botswana Golden Grand Prix have announced another wave of major championship medallists set to compete at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Gaborone on 29 April.
The men’s 100m field contains five men with sub-10-second PBs and features world silver medallist Marvin Bracy. The US sprinter earned world indoor silver in 2014 and reached the world indoor podium again in 2022, clocking a 60m PB of 6.44. Outdoors, he has a 100m PB of 9.85 and last year he finished in the top two in all but one of his 100m races.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala is the fastest man in the field. He holds the African record at 9.77, and last year he won the African and Commonwealth 100m titles.
World and Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek will step down from his usual specialist distance. The versatile US sprinter is still an accomplished 100m performer, boasting a PB of 9.89.
Canada’s world 4x100m champion Aaron Brown is also in the field. The multiple world and Olympic 100m and 200m finalist has a PB of 9.96 for the shorter distance.
Liberian record-holder Emmanuel Matadi and triple world U20 medallist Benji Richardson of South Africa are also in the line-up.
Nigeria’s Ese Brume, the world indoor and outdoor silver medallist, leads the women’s long jump field. The Olympic bronze medallist and Commonwealth champion holds the African record at 7.17m.
She will take on African champion Marthe Koala of Burkina Faso and German Olympian Maryse Luzolo.
These athletes join the previously announced stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is contesting the 100m, and Sha'Carri Richardson, who will line up for the 200m.
