Mujinga Kambundji: Why Swiss Sprint Queen Won’t Be the ‘Fool’ at Kip Keino Classic

Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji . IMAGE/Supersport

Mujinga Kambundji: Why Swiss Sprint Queen Won’t Be the ‘Fool’ at Kip Keino Classic

Festus Chuma 05:01 - 07.05.2025

Swiss sprint star Mujinga Kambundji debuts at Kip Keino Classic, aiming to prove she is no fool in elite showdown.

Two-time reigning world indoor 60 metres champion Mujinga Kambundji is set to make her debut at the Kip Keino Classic on May 31.

The Swiss sprint star, who clinched world indoor titles in 2022 and 2025 and holds a personal best of 10.89 in the 100m, will compete in the women’s 100m event at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium.

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Meet director Barnaba Korir confirmed Kambundji’s participation, calling her inclusion a huge boost for the competition.

“We are thrilled to have Mujinga join us this year. She is one of the most consistent and decorated sprinters in the world, and her presence raises the profile of the Kip Keino Classic,” said Korir as per Nation.

The 32-year-old athlete brings with her a formidable resume. Apart from her indoor dominance, Kambundji also earned a bronze in the 200m at the 2019 World Championships and became European 200m champion in both 2022 and 2024.

Her international pedigree was further proven at the Olympic stage. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she placed sixth in the 100m, seventh in the 200m, and anchored Switzerland to a fourth-place finish in the 4x100m relay.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she once again made the 100m final, finishing sixth with a time of 10.99.

Her entry into the Kip Keino Classic pits her against a stacked field.

Notable challengers include Jamaica’s world under-20 100m champion Alana Reid, Belgium’s Rani Rocious—who clinched bronze at the 2023 European Games—Liberia’s Maia McCoy, a double African medallist, and Botswana’s Tsanone Sebele, the reigning national sprint champion.

With four more slots remaining in the women’s 100m lineup, Korir noted that “two will be reserved for the locals and the rest to foreign participants,” adding that the final list will be announced soon.

Kambundji, born in Bern to a Congolese father, Safuka, and a Swiss mother, Ruth, is no stranger to continental and global pressure. Her well-rounded experience and championship mindset make her a formidable threat to any field she enters.

On the men’s side, Kenyan sprint hero Ferdinand Omanyala is also confirmed to return to the Kip Keino Classic.

The African record-holder, who stunned the world with a 9.77-second finish at the 2021 edition, is eyeing redemption after a fifth-place finish in 2024.

“Omanyala is always a fan favourite here,” said Korir.

“His energy and consistency on this track are unmatched.”

Omanyala will be seeking to reclaim his crown after Americans dominated the sprint last year. Kenneth Bednarek, who won the 2024 Kip Keino Classic in 9.91, is yet to confirm his return but remains a potential headline rival.

Bednarek, who later bagged silver in the 200m and placed seventh in the 100m at the Paris Olympics, would certainly add spice to the competition if he returns.

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