This archive report was first published on 11 June 2020.
On June 11, 2020, Nairobi and Oslo, Norway will host the first track and field virtual race tonight, dubbed 'Impossible Games.'
The creative race replaces the cancelled Oslo Diamond League due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will feature 13 other events.
Kenya's Team Cheruiyot, consisting of world 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot, 2017 world champion Elijah Manangoi, 2012 world 1500m junior silver medalist Edwin Melly, Timothy Sein, and Africa Junior 1,500 champion Vincent Keter, will clash with Norway's Ingebrigtsen brothers, Henrik, Filip, and Jakob, in a 2,000m race.
Team Cheruiyot's Timothy Cheruiyot expressed his team's readiness for the competition, saying, 'We have prepared well and hope to replicate what we have done in training with my teammates in competition.'
Meet director Steinar Hoen explained the concept behind the virtual race, stating, 'We had two options. We could resign or look at the possibilities. We decided to build this unique creative concept that could be staged on the same day as the traditional meeting was scheduled.'
The European 2,000m record holder Steve Cram will commentate the Impossible Games, with the race also being in memory of Australian agent legendary Maurie Plant, who passed away in January this year.
