Nandi County to give 'YouTube Man' standing ovation

Gold medallist Kenya's Julius Kiplangat Yego poses on the podium during the award ceremony for the men's javelin throw athletics event at Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on August 2, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

A big party has been laid down in Kapsabet to welcome and honour Julius ‘YouTube’ Yego (right), the newly crowned Commonwealth Games javelin champion.

Yego went down into annals of history as the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in field events at the Commonwealth Games.

John Mayaka set the ball rolling for Kenya when he won bronze medal in javelin at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1974.

Incidentally, the welcome party will be held at Kapsabet Boys High, where Yego attended his secondary school education.

The usual traditional fanfare will certainly play up today and Yego will be garlanded with 'sinendet' – a Kalenjin ornamental plant adorned with the local regalia.

Yego’s feat serves to motivate the multi-talented youths in Kenya and particularly at his athletics-rich Nandi County.

Nandi County Governor Dr Cleophas Lagat, said they would honour him as part of the county’s plan to inspire, identify and nurture sporting talents.

“The achievements boost Kenya’s bid to diversify from track to field events and improve medal tally in major competitions like Commonwealth and Olympic games. We are proud of him,” said Dr Lagat.

Yego, who successfully defended his Africa title in Morocco and comes from Cheptonon Village in Nandi Hills. He started off with stick-throwing while herding livestock in the tea-rich farmlands of Nandi hills — just as a leisure time engagement.

And he has now attracted advertising chip from telecommunication giant, Orange Telkom Limited thanks to his spectacular throws.

And Orange Telkom has decided to organise the fete to appreciate Yego’s sterling efforts.

The event, dubbed ‘Champions Day’, will bring together Kenya’s world beating athletes to the ceremony that kicks off at 10am.

Yego finished third at the 2010 Africa Championships and became the first Kenyan to win the javelin title at the All Africa Games in 2011. He featured in Olympics final in London and finished fourth in Moscow World Championships.

Yego, a police officer attached to Criminal Investigations Department, holds Kenyan javelin record at 85.40m. But a lot await him as the clock ticks towards the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.