Swedish superstar pole vaulter Armand Duplantis will not compete at next month’s Athletics Street Event, but it will still feature the biggest field of international athletics stars yet to compete in Namibia.
Event organiser Henk Botha yesterday said Duplantis cannot make it due to other commitments.
“We were very close to signing him, but unfortunately Mondo Duplantis won’t be coming anymore. He tried everything to come, but unfortunately he had other prior commitments that he needed to attend to, and that’s why he had to decline. He felt quite bad about it but the good thing is he said he will definitely come next year and we can put him on the list so long,” he said.
The assembled field still features the strongest line-up of world stars yet to compete in Namibia, with more than 70 international stars having confirmed their participation for the event set for 27 and 28 March.
A star-studded lineup will compete in the men’s shotput, led by the current world number one and two-time world champion Joe Kovacs of the United States (US).
Kovacs, who also has three Olympic Games silver medals, has a personal best throw of 23.23m, and Botha said he is keen to break Ryan Crouser’s world record of 23.56m in Windhoek.
“Joe is currently ranked number one in the world and his agent informed us that he wants to come and break the world record here in Namibia,” he said.
His strongest competition will come from Tom Walsh of New Zealand, a former world champion and two time Olympic bronze medallist who has a personal best of 22.90m, and ranks fourth in the world.
Other top international shotputters who will be in action include Josh Awotunde of the US and Chukwuebuka Cornell of Nigeria, as well as Kyle Blignaut and Chris van Niekerk of South Africa.
The men’s one mile race will see a strong field headed by Kyumbe Munguti of Kenya, who formed part of the Kenyan relay team that twice won gold medals at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships, as well as compatriot Dominic Barngetuny and Kwazi Nogcantsi of South Africa.
The women’s mile field is also strong, featuring the Botswana record holder Nowe Oratile, who was ranked eighth in the world in the 800m last year.
Some of the international athletes that she will compete against include the Kenyan trio of Sheila Chepngeno, Nancy Jepngetich and Caren Chepchirchir, as well as South Africa’s Prudence Sekogdiso and Aviwe Hoboloshe.
Despite Duplantis’ absence, the men’s pole vault should still be a spectacular event headed by Sam Kendricks of the US, a two-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist, who has a best performance of 6.06m.
He will come up against compatriots Carson Waters and Kobe Babin, Vlad Malykhin of Ukraine, and Valko van Wyk and Kyle Rademeyer of South Africa, among others.
There will also be strong competition in the women’s pole vaulting event, headed by Sandi Morris of the US, an Olympic Games and World Championships silver medallist, who ranks second in the world.
Some of the athletes that she will come up against include Ansume de Beer and Nicole Rotger of South Africa, and Maryna Kylypko of Ukraine.
Spectators can look forward to an array of talent in the 60m sprints for both men and women.
The men’s field includes South Africa’s Kyle Zinn, who last year recorded an impressive 10.13 seconds for the 100m; compatriots Rivaldo Roberts, Xander Schoeman and Sladen van Staden; Ezeakor Chidera of Nigeria; Claude Itoungue of Cameroon; and Brandon Harris and Javonte Harding of the US.
The women’s 60m sprint includes Adaobi Tabugo, who was a member of the Nigerian 4x100m relay team that won gold at the 2024 African Championships; compatriots Iyanuoluwa Bada and Obi Chukwuka; and Jada van Staden and Tamzin Thomas of South Africa.
The 60m hurdles is also stacked with talent with the likes of Rasheem Brown of the Cayman Islands; and Eric Edwards and Almighty Williamson of the US in action in the men’s race; while Destiny Huven of the US; Stella Ayanleke of Nigeria; and Marissa Simpson of Jamaica will be among the female competitors.
The high jump will also see top class action with the likes of Breyton Poole and Brian Raats of South Africa; Eli Kosiba and Caleb Snowden of the US; and Kemboi Kiprop of Kenya in action in the men’s event; and Fatoumata Balley of Guinea; Michelle Ngozo of South Africa; and Inika McPherson and Charity Hufnagel of the US competing in the women’s event.
The men’s long jump includes William Williams of the United States who is currently ranked 24th in the world and his compatriots Jason Smith and James Carter; as well as Nikithemba Hani of South Africa; and Nkwemy Raymond of Cameroon.
The women include world championship silver medallist and Olympic bronze medallist Ese Brume of Nigeria; Iryna Budzynska of Ukraine, Tionna Tobias of the United States and Tshegofatso Bojosi of Botswana.
Some of Namibia’s top athletes will also be in action to test their skills against this star-studded international line-up.
They include the likes of national long jump record holder Lionel Coetzee; sprinters Gilbert Hainuca, Elton Hoeseb and Sherman du Plessis; hurdler Nicholis du Plessis; high jumper Karsten Diergaardt; shotputter Marike Weitz; pole vaulter Talaya Vorster; and long jumper Ashley Martins.
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