Thrills and spills as Kenyan athletes break marathon course records

By TITUS TOO

Rita Jeptoo celebrates winning the Women’s Elite division of the 118th Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts on Monday. [PHOTO:AFP]

Kenyan athletes continue to shatter world marathon majors course records as Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet counties celebrate their tags as source and home of champions respectively.

Rita Jeptoo’s victory at the Easter Monday’s Boston marathon with a course record of 2:18:57, ignited excitement and celebrations in Nandi as the county government celebrated her performance.

Nandi has been christened with the tag ‘source of champions’ while Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet is best known as ‘home of champions’ with Eldoret town in the neighbouring Uasin Gishu described as ‘city of champions’.

Jeptoo’s victory came just a week after marathon world record holder Wilson Kipsang shattered London course record with 2:04:29.

Edna Kiplagat won in the London women category in 2:20:21 as Florence Kiplagat returned in the second in 2:20:24. Kipsang, Edna and Florence are all from Elgeyo Marakwet.

Colourful reception

Dr Cleophas Lagat, the Nandi county governor on Tuesday announced that there are elaborate plans to give Jeptoo  a colourful reception in Nandi for her performance.

“We are proud of Jeptoo’s performance as a county. We will honour her with a heroine’s reception on her return,” said Lagat.

Lagat, who spoke during a morning talk show at a Kalenjin vernacular radio station said the victory came as the county plan to develop the dilapidated Kipchoge Keino stadium in Kapsabet town, Nandi.

The governor said the stadium facility will be constructed in phases and that it is expected to cost between Sh800m and 1 billion on completion.

Lagat said they have approached development partners including local sports federations and agents to support the project, which will be a landmark in the region, with great athletics talent.

good performance

Patrick Sang, the Nandi county executive in charge of sports said: “We are happy as a county because apart from being a source of athletics, we have sustained good performance”.

Sang, who is also Barcelona 1992 Olympics 3000m steeplechase silver medallist said they celebrate performance of Jeptoo in Boston Marathon.

He said the victory also came just a week after Eliud Kipchoge and Benard Koech, both from Nandi, won the Rotterdam marathon in the first and second places respectively.

“As counties from this region, we are not competing for the champions tag. Nandi is historically a pioneer in athletics. Eldoret is the city and Elgeyo Marakwet home of champions,” said Sang.

Sang added that they are planning a long term programme whereby Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet and Trans Nzoia will run sports programmes to promote sports tourism in the region.

[email protected]