For Songoka, grass seems greener on the other side

Cries for special flights to bring stranded sportsmen back to Kenya have been defeaning, but one athlete in Mexico is not in a hurry to return.

Marathoner Janet Songoka is happy being there where tens of her compatriots are stranded and craving to return to their training bases in Kenya.

Songoka, from Kabarnet in Baringo, has been in and out of Mexico for the last eight years.

She said she will return to Kenya after the commencement of races and when international flights resume.

Like several other Kenyan athletes stuck in several countries where they had gone to compete, Songoka hoped to jet into Kenya and back to Mexico, as she had done before.

But travel restrictions that resulted in cancellation of flights across the world to minimise the spread of coronavirus complicated matters.

She, however, accepted the reality and now says she is not in a hurry to travel back home.

“When races and flights were cancelled in March, life became difficult,” Songoka, who has a 1:23:42 personal best in the half marathon, said.

Songoka describes Mexicans as ‘hearty’ people who welcomed her when she was stranded.

She told Standard Sports that she was taken in by a Mexican family after it became difficult to pay rent.

“My stay in Mexico is better now. I get food and accommodation. When things became difficult, a family took me in and I thank them a lot. The only challenge is that I can’t send some money home as I had done before cancellation of races,” Songoka, a mother of two said.

It is in Mexico where Songoka recorded her PB at the half marathon Mexicali on March 8, just before races were cancelled and cross border travels banned.

In Tijuana state where she lives, she has had numerous running opportunities.

She has also run half marathon trail Ensenada, half marathon Tijuana, Marathon Monterry among other Mexican races.

“Before the cancellation, we would compete almost every week here in Mexico. We train together with locals and they have been supportive,” she said.

On May 5, five athletes – Michael Biwott, Isaac Kipkemoi, Benjamin Kipkasi and Millicent Gathoni were among Kenyans evacuated from India.