Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala is targeting a sub-10-second time when he takes to the track during the 100 metres race at the Kip Keino Classic on Saturday.
Omanyala will be the favourite to win the race at the Ulinzi Stadium in Nairobi on 31 May as the sixth edition of the competition takes place.
Attention will be drawn to the battle between breakout sprinter Bayanda Walaza and African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala.
One week on from powering to a 9.94 win in Zagreb, double world U20 champion and 4x100m Olympic silver medallist Walaza aims to continue his great form at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Nairobi.
The 19-year-old will clash in the 100m with Omanyala, who will be determined to go one better after losing last year.
It thus promises to be a tough race but Omanyala is confident of securing victory plus a good enough time.
"Time is of the essence. I hope to clock under 10 seconds tomorrow. I've prepared well and I hope to deliver the goods come race time so that our fans can be happy," he said during the official Kip Keino Classic press conference in Nairobi Friday.
As part of the competing cast on Saturday, Walaza’s compatriots Sinesipho Dambile, who joined Walaza on the victorious 4x100m team at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, and Gift Leotlela are listed as taking part.
African Games silver medallist Claude Itoungue of Cameroon and Australian 21-year-old Lachlan Kennedy who got world indoor 60m silver in Nanjing will also be in the starting lineup.
Omanyala is calling on Kenyans to show up in numbers.
"I ask Kenyans to come out and support this event we are growing. Come and support our athletes. We expect a good event," he added.