Tegla Loroupe: I'm proud of my legacy

She may appear tiny weighing only 40kg, but TEGLA LOROUPE'S reputation is bigger than her physical frame. Her name evokes images of her world record-breaking achievements in athletics and her international role as an ambassador of peace. She spoke to Nanjinia Wamuswa

I was brought up in a very humble background. I was born on May 9, 1973 in the hilly Kapsait Location, Lelan Division, West Pokot District in Rift Valley Province. I was raised in a polygamous family as my father had four wives and 24 children. In my mother’s house, there were six of us, four girls and two boys. I am the third born.

I must say my success story as an athlete is one of fame and opulence that accompanies humility, patience, hard work, team spirit, God’s mercies and a bit of disobedience to crown it all.

You might wonder why I speak of ‘a bit of disobedience’ as part of my triumph in athletics. Let me tell you why.

I spent most of my youthful days herding cattle in the fields and looking after my younger siblings. When I was seven years old, I joined Kapsait Primary School, but I only got to realise my athletic potential when I got to Class Four.

I beat older pupils during athletic events and that’s when I realised I could pursue athletics as a career.

Every day after that, I ran barefoot 10km to and from school. Unfortunately, nobody in the family supported my athletic ambition except my mother.

According to the community dogma, girls who got involved in sports got spoilt. I chose to disobey that belief.

I also loved soccer and you would always fine me in the group of village lads playing football. We used to make the ball from nylon bags. Had I not made it in athletics, I would have been a soccer star.

My family was afraid l would fail in class if l continued with sports so they shifted their praise and support to my step-brother William, who was my classmate. I chose to continue with athletics and I ended up representing my school at provincial level.

There were times l qualified for national competitions but due to corruption, some pupils would be picked instead of me because I was regarded as a strange villager.

No one wanted to recognise that I was excelling, but that did not deter my spirit and my athletic star continued to shine in the Rift Valley primary schools competitions.

Surprised family

In 1983, l sat for CPE alongside my step-brother. All the family members thought l would fail but I surprised them when l passed well, beating William.

Out of the blue, my father resolved to send me to high school but not my step-brother. He wanted William to repeat Class Seven but he declined and pleaded with me to talk to my father to send him to secondary school.

I tried talking to my father on William’s behalf but he was adamant, so in solidarity with my step-brother, l refused to join high school. That forced my father to pay fees for both of us and I joined Nasokol Girls High School.

While in Form One, l resolved to concentrate on my studies and not sports, but things didn’t turn out as I expected.

When the secondary schools’ athletics events were near, my school picked me to start training but I declined.

Since the school administration knew I was good, they insisted l be part of the team.

When I refused, I was punished and ordered to crawl on my knees on concrete for 5km. Thereafter, I was threatened with expulsion, so I finally gave in. I was grouped with senior students and l beat them all.

From then on, l featured in all the school’s athletic events and I went on my winning streak. In 1988, l won a prestigious cross-country race and was nominated for the junior race world championship where l finished 28th.

After my ‘O’ levels l got scholarship to study accounts at Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology. Later, I got a job with Posta Kenya in 1992 working as an accountant. While there, l represented Kenya in the Barcelona Olympics, but l fell down in the final lap and finished 16th.

International athlete

l met Volker Wanger, a German coach, during these Olympics and he became my trainer. So for any athletic event l was to feature, l travelled to Germany three months prior to train. I still do.

My schedule as an international athlete became so tight that I was compelled to resign from my job at Posta four years later, although they had always allowed me time to train and participate in athletic events. My two step-brothers, Titus and Boaz Loroupe, are also renowned athletes.

Every morning I wake up at 5.30am daily to train for half an hour, before getting into my busy schedule. I have participated in local and international marathons and emerged victorious in many. I am a three-time World Half Marathon Champion and the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon. I won two more marathons in 1994 and 1995.

Other competitions l have won include London, Boston, Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Berlin and Rome Marathons; the Zevenheuvelenloop 15km race in Netherlands, Egmond Half Marathon and Lisbon Half Marathon among numerous others.

Bed of roses

I am perhaps unrivalled as an international sports icon of all time. I hold local and international athletic medals, records and honours under my belt. At one time I was regarded the fastest woman marathoner in the world.

But it has not always been a bed of roses. My darkest moment was in 2000 during the Sydney Summer Olympics when I suffered food poisoning, but I still had to run. I also had issues with my health for more than a year before returning to my winning streak.

I last participated in an event early this year when l ran a 20,000km race from Germany to Rome to raise funds for charity and I got to present the cheque to Pope Benedict IX. Some of the money raised helped to build a Catholic Church in Eldoret.

One of my biggest heroes and role models is Kipchoge Keino (currently the chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee). The other is Nelson Mandela. From him l have learned the power of forgiveness.

When I’m not tied up to athletics, l’m a subsistence, bee and dairy cattle farmer in West Pokot. I also take care of my late sisters’ six children. I have no diary to guide me through my daily activities but I manage my time well. I am always flexible and do my things in order of importance.

Muthurwa market

I like shopping at Muthurwa Market in Nairobi because I enjoy chatting with the hawkers. During the severe famine that hit West Pokot in 2008, I developed friendships with them and they donated tonnes of foodstuff and clothes, which l took to my needy people.

I consider myself a normal, down-to-earth person. To me, a person’s riches are measured through fellow people.

I enjoy mingling freely with my fans and discussing important issues with them. However, I have no time for partying, but I enjoy listening to gospel music and Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s songs.

I am a born-again Christian and I attend the African Inland Church. I am yet to get married. I don’t know if it is because men seem to shy away from sportswomen. Maybe they assume we are always busy and not ready to settle down to a serious relationship.