DREAM COME TRUE FOR KOTUT: Hard work thrust Cyprian to pinnacle of road running
Football
By
JONATHAN KOMEN
| Apr 06, 2016
BUT DID YOU KNOW KOTUT?
• Is 24 years old and younger brother of marathon maestro Martin Lel, but coached by Italian coach Claudio Berardille.
• Scored C+ at Cheptil High School in Nandi County and opted to take up athletics, make money and later back to studies.
• Wants to be like Felix Limo, the two-time London Marathon winner (2006 and 2007), who retired from athletics in 2013 at 32 years and is now a student at University of Eldoret pursuing degree in Animal Health.
• Trains with Dickson Chumba, the 2014 Tokyo Marathon winner
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• Always trains along Namkoi-Moi University Road.
• Draws inspiration from his surname Kimurgor, which means ‘to set it horizontally’ to excel in road running.
• Apart from Martin Lel, his other sibling Fredrick Keter, a sub 2:09 marathoner, and a sister are athletes. He has passed through athletics chain all through.
• Started to compete internationally in 2012 in Portugal in a 5km race and Claudio gave him the chance to compete in 5km, 10km and half marathons in Portugal.
• Has been making steady progress since 2012 and in 2013, he worked as a pace setter for his brother Martin in a half marathon in Lisbon and ran sub 62.
• Coach Claudio then sent him to USA where he ran his first sub 59 minutes while pacing for Stanley Biwott.
• From there, he went for races not as a pacesetter and but to compete fully and now has a 59.12 personal best in half marathon.
He strives to match or even beat Martin Lel’s marathon shows.
Martin is a big influence to him as he motivates him in training and competing, especially when he sees his brother
He believes that discipline and commitment would make him succeed.