The Kenyan struggle to reach pinnacle of world athletics

The Kenyan struggle to reach pinnacle of world athletics

By JONATHAN KOMEN

Kenya: They have certainly made names for themselves in athletic circles but theirs is a spectacular riches to rags story.

Kenyan runners lined up for the 118th Boston Marathon share a cocktail of exciting exploits with similar experiences that inspire budding athletes.

World’s second fastest marathoner Moses Mosop, Boston Marathon second-placed Micah Kogo, three-time Amsterdam Marathon winner Wilson Chebet and 2012 Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop will tackle the 42km course in Boston on Monday evening.

Mosop who ran a blistering 2:03.06 time in Boston, 2011 rose from grass to grace.

His humble background notwithstanding, 29-year-old Mosop who endured numerous hardships after completing his secondary school education is no doubt a force to reckon with.

Amazingly, in 2001, Mosop was a cobbler at the Kamasia trading centre in Marakwet.

After finishing Form Four at the athletics-rich Marakwet High School, and with poverty a hindrance to his unbridled love for athletics, Mosop decided to repair shoes to get money to buy running gear and raise matatu fare to attend athletics competitions.

 “Life after school was hard and I decided to repair shoes. I started the business under a tree, strategically at the centre of town to attract many customers. Luckily, a well wisher offered to be keeping my tools of trade every evening when I would I retire for the day as I had to trek back home for four kilometres.

“I charged as little as Sh40 to run stitches round a pair of shoes and my prices helped me woo more customers,” Mosop said.

Cattle rustlers

He says that through the experience, he earned a shoe repair contract at Kipnai Girls Secondary School in 2001 where he mended shoes for students and teachers every Sunday.

“On good a day, I would make upto Sh350 after mending around 15 pairs of shoes. It was simply a fortune and I would gladly walk home smiling.”

Mosop started to practice running while in Standard Three at Kamasia Primary School. While herding goats seven kilometres away from home at Koisung’ur Forest, he was always ready for a quick dash just incase the notorious Pokot cattle rustlers attacked. 

“We usually trekked through thick forests while running away from the armed rustlers and at other times, we did some running contests in the forest,” said Mosop.

With time, Mosop began to mix his shoe business and running while scheming on how to storm onto the global stage.

But today, the athlete has a different story to tell. He has now bought houses in Eldoret and Ngong in Nairobi.

His fairy tale is a carbon copy of Micah Kogo’s storyline. He has also come a long way.

The shy-looking Kogo who endured numerous hardships after completing his secondary school education has cut himself a niche in athletic circles.

Born of peasant parents in Orane village in Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu County, Kogo discontinued schooling after dropping out in Form Three at Tulwet High School for lack of fees in 2001.

But in 2003, Kogo who operated a butchery at Burnt Forest Trading Centre made a meteoric rise by breaking the World 10km record and managing  a runner-up finish in his debut at the Boston Marathon.

Crushed dreams

The champion had always had a dream in life: to bring glory to his home and, by extension, to the national athletics family.

 “While in class five in Kewet Primary School, I used to love cross country. Every morning on my way to school, I would enjoy the daily running,” Kogo said. 

After his academic dreams crash-landed in 2002, fortunes were up for Kogo. His elder brother then employed him to run a butchery at the Burnt Forest Trading Centre.

 By and by, he saw some athletes in their usual training gear and developed an interest in the sport.

 He then began to invest in the training kit and picked some training skills from the athletes.

 Within a year, he had started training and would record his achievements in his running diary. The rest is history.

Wilson Chebet better known as ‘Mr Amsterdam’ completed Standard Eight at Kaptalamwa Primary School and then proceeded to Lelan Secondary School.

Unfortunately, he discontinued schooling due to lack of fees and decided to try his hand in business. He would buy sheep and goats in Lelan area and transport them to Kaptalamwa market. But the business did not pick up and eventually, he ventured into athletics.

Sharon Cherop who is returning to the Boston Marathon for a second bite at the cherry, cuts the picture of women’s struggle to reach the pinnacle of world athletics.

Goat herding

At only 15, Cherop beat all odds for the bragging rights at the Seventh All Africa Games in Johannesburg in 1999, which was a no mean feat in Kenyan athletics.

Before she took up athletics, the 30-year-old runner from the hilly Marakwet area braved the cattle rustling region to shine in World long distance running.

She discovered her athletics skills while herding goats at her rural home located in the World’s 3,000m steeplechase cradle of Marakwet.

She trains in Iten with her husband, Mathew Kosgei who is a marathoner, and they have their task clearly cut out in Boston on Monday when they line up in the men and women’s race.  “We will go there to win as a family and inspire each other as husband and wife,” said Cherop.

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