Proud moment for Kenya in London

-Editorial

The much-awaited London Marathon produced excellent performance that makes Kenya brag with the ‘athletics superpower’ tag.

Expectations were high right after the team, which is billed as the best ever field to the race was named at the launch of the tartan track near Iten, and given that it was the strongest field ever drafted for a marathon run.

And they were burning with insatiable hunger for glory in the United Kingdom’s flagship 42km contest. Kenyans, known for traditional winning trend, did not disappoint. Athletics fans were all caught up in dilemma in their predictions. The line-up comprised world record-holders, Olympic gold medallists, world champions and World Marathon Majors winners.

But London Marathon is now over. Will Kenyans replay the same feat when they return to United Kingdom for the Commonwealth Games that runs in Glasgow, Scotland in July-August?

Or it will bring back the gloom that engulfed the country during the 2012 London Olympic Games?

In that Olympiath, Kenya presented the best ever squad. In the team were, of course, then London Marathon winner Wilson Kipsang, who won yesterday and Emmanuel Mutai, the 2011 London Marathon winner. But the result was dismal. Kipsang clinched bronze and bowed to winner Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich as two-time winner Abel Mutai bagged silver; all against Kenya’s expectations.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta deserves commendations too for her effort in the Beyond Zero campaign. At 50, she completed the race to raise funds for maternal and child healthcare.

Her grit and determination mirrors what Kenya has been known for.

She will no doubt inspire many, young women especially, to reach out and break the glass ceiling, for what men can do, women can even do it better.