American sprint queen Shannon Ray has landed in Nairobi ahead of the Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour, looking sharp, composed, and ready to rewrite her story on Kenyan soil on Saturday ,May 31 at Ulinzi Sports Complex Stadium.
Ray arrived after a smooth flight from New Orleans via Charlotte and London. Speaking moments after touching down, she expressed her joy at returning to a country she clearly loves.
“It was a very smooth flight — from New Orleans to Charlotte, then to London and finally Nairobi. I’m happy to be back.” she said with a smile.
The 28-year-old sprinter is no stranger to the Kip Keino Classic. She clinched third place in the women’s 100m in 2023. She finished behind World star athletes Sha’Carri Richardson and Kyra Jefferson. This time, she is eyeing the top spot.
Women`s 100m
In Nairobi, Ray will face stiff competition in the 100m sprint, including:
Lineria`s Destiny Smith-Barnett, African Games silver medallist and 4x100m bronze medallist, Maia McCoy (USA). Maia has been a consistent performer on the US circuit and also Bassant Hemida (Egypt). Hemida is among one of Africa’s most decorated sprinters
Despite the depth of talent, Ray remains unfazed.
“I don’t look at anybody as a threat. It’s anybody’s race. It doesn’t matter what you ran last week or two weeks ago. You have to show up on Saturday. If I just run my race, I know I can put my best foot forward.”
This season, the American says she’s taken a different approach. She`s opting for fewer races and more focused training.
“This season is going okay. I’ve run fewer races and focused more on training and running my races better technically,” she explained. “Yes, the plan is to walk away with gold and no longer a bronze.”
Ray also touched on the technical elements she’s refining.
“I want to drive a bit longer and stay forward. I tend to lean back a lot when I run, so I’m working on staying more forward.”
Her return to Kenya, she says, is always driven by passion.
“The energy, the people, the competition — it’s a beautiful experience every time.”
With Saturday fast approaching, Shannon Ray is not just in Kenya to participate — she’s here to dominate.
