CGF recognises Wanjiru as Tergat nominated for IOC slot

By Erick Ochieng’

Former Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru has been honoured posthumously by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

Meanwhile, former world marathon record holder and five times world cross country champion, Paul Tergat, was picked by the National Olympic Committee-Kenya (Nock) to succeed chairman Kipchoge Keino as Kenya’s representative on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.

Wanjiru was honoured at the Nock Annual General Meeting that was held yesterday in Nairobi where he was presented with the Commonwealth Sports Award for emerging runners-up in the Outstanding Male Athlete category in 2009.

The award which was accompanied by Sh32,500 as a token from the Commonwealth Games officials was presented to Wanjiru’s wife Tereziah Njeri, by Keino.

“Njeri can use the money on any project of her choice but after informing the Commonwealth Games Federation,” explained Keino.

An elated Njeri was touched that her husband was still being remembered by local and international federations and associations a year after he passed on.

She said she will use the money to top up the kitty for the Nyahururu Marathon slated for May 12, 2013??? in honor of her husband.

Njeri said other sponsors for the inaugural marathon are Nike and Federico Rosa, who was Wanjiru’s manager.

“The Nyahururu race is just among the many events that the already established Wanjiru Foundation is planning to do, I am ready to work with Nike, Rosa, Nyahuru hospital and other international and local sponsors who have approached me to come on board.”

Njeri said she will help Nyahururu Hospital to purchase Intensive Care Unit (ICU) equipment with the help of the donors.

“Had there been enough equipment at Nyahururu ICU, then Wanjiru could have survived because that was the first place he was rushed to after the tragedy that led to his death,” said Njeri who has vowed to complete all Wanjiru’s projects to hour her late husband.

Kenya Amateur Weightlifting Association secretary general John Ogola was also honoured by Nock for achieving the prestigious Executive Masters in Sport Organizations Management (Memo) course.

Tergat was proposed by the delegates to succeed Keino at the IOC owing to the former marathoner’s records and achievements.

“It’s a great honour to me and I am ready to fit in Keino’s shoes to succeed him,” said Tergat, who is also the founder of Sports Personality of the Year Awards (Soya).

Keino, who is now an IOC honorary member, said Tergat will present his credentials to IOC for vetting and if he is successful he will be chosen to succeed him.

The Nock meeting also confirmed the following as Nock’s honorary life members: Kipchoge Keino, David Okeyo, Francis Paul, James Chacha, Fridah Shiroya, Stephen Soi, Peter Nderitu and John Roberts.