Tebogo, Simbine, Kipyegon Snub African Championships for Diamond League Opener in Shanghai/Keqiao
Tebogo, Simbine, Kipyegon Snub African Championships for Diamond League Opener in Shanghai/Keqiao
The African Athletics Championships, set for May 12-17 in Accra, Ghana, will miss three of the continent’s biggest names as Letsile Tebogo, Akani Simbine, and Faith Kipyegon have all opted to open their seasons at the Wanda Diamond League in Shanghai/Keqiao instead.
Tebogo, the 2022 African 200m champion, returns to the global spotlight after skipping the 2024 continental event.
He will headline the 100m in Keqiao against Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, Christian Coleman, Kenneth Bednarek, Trayvon Bromell, and fellow African Gift Leotla.
Simbine, who last competed at the African Championships in 2022 when he won silver behind Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, also joins the Diamond League clash, continuing his pursuit of a first series crown.
Kipyegon, Africa’s most decorated middle‑distance runner, has not raced at the African Championships since finishing fifth in the 1500m in Marrakech in 2014. The three‑time Olympic champion and five‑time world champion will step up to the 5000m in Keqiao, marking her first race of the 2026 season.
Their absence leaves Accra without three of its most recognizable stars, shifting the spotlight to Tobi Amusan, Omanyala, and other emerging talents to carry the flag for Africa at the continental showpiece.
