Julius Yego thrust his way to 2nd round in Javelin

 

By JONATHAN KOMEN

We are sitting back at Luzhiniki Stadium here in Moscow watching All Africa Games javelin champion Julius Yego take on the world’s best.

Majority of the fans are Russians and Finish athletes. As usual, each athlete calls upon the spectators to urge them forward, to inspire and motivate them as they prepare to take leap and unleash the spear into the space.

However, most javelin throwers are seen, on large screens, muttering as if in acknowledgement of celebrations from the thousands of delirious fans giving the hearty claps from the stands.

But Yego stands out from them all — as his spear thrusts through the air from his firm grip he releases a loud scream. And that clearly came out yesterday when he thrilled the world with a 80.88 metres throw.

Yego, an alumnus of Kapsabet Boys High School who finished third at the 2010 Africa Championships in Nairobi, has lofty dreams as he lines up in the semi finals this morning.

“I just want to do better than the Olympics. I want to inspire the national team and pay back to the Government who have employed a new coach for me,” said Yego, who is the team captain for Kenya.

He will take on Tero Pitkamaki (84.39m), who topped the standings, as Andreas Thorkilosen (83.05), Ivan Zaytsev (81.53), Viteslau Vesey (81.51) of Czech Republic followed.

The joy of Yego’s scream  the ecstatic feeling one gets after achieving the impossible, the sense of pride and emotion after a brilliant display tells a lot about his struggle to excel in a discipline not so common back home.

“I feel good. I can produce the best throw by screaming. I feel re-energised by the scream. But that’s my trademark, I love it,” Yego said. 

Yego, the Youtube man as he is known to many, was born in Cheptonon village in Nandi County. He started off with stick-throwing while herding livestock in the tea-rich farmlands of Nandi Hills just as a leisure time engagement.

No one could ever have imagined that he would soon break the jinx and become the first Kenyan to compete in a field event at the Olympics.

And he has now attracted advertising firms from telecommunication giant, Orange Telkom Limited thanks to his spectacular throws. Yego, 24, stunned the world at London Games with 81.81m throw. That might change here!



 


 

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