Athletes mourn the end of Kiplagat’s era

It was the end of an era in Kenyan athletics when the man who has ran the sport for 24 years, Isaiah Fundi Kiplagat, was laid to rest at his Kapseret home in Eldoret with speakers at his burial service lavishing praise on the departed leader.

A multitude of mourners came from far and wide came from far and wide to witness his last journey in Nandi where it all began in 1944.

Athletes and officials, both active and retired, like politicians who rose to address the crowd scattered across elected domes across the sprawling field, gave interesting anecdotes of encounters with the longest serving AK boss, most crediting him for reforming athletics in Kenya.

Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, remembered him as a father.

“Kiplagat is a person who was walking his talk. He had a unique character and as much as we talk about integrity, character is what defines a person, he was a man of strong character.

“I remember one time that I went to his office alongside five colleagues, he asked us what we wanted and I told him we were just saying hi. He could not believe we had no other reason for visiting. We ended up in laughter, he was a father figure who could not discriminate anyone regardless of their background, denomination or tribe,” the two-time London Marathon champion said.

“I can say that he had very good administration skills which those who are taking over from him will look back to,” the second Kenyan to win the Olympics marathon.

Suspended AK vice-president David Okeyo, mourned his former boss, crediting him for building Kenya’s athletics empire from nothing.

“Kiplagat was a brother, a friend and a colleague. We have worked closely with him to bring Kenya’s athletics where it is today. We actually worked from the scratch and I really thank him for the insights into athletics administration. The experience I have for running track and field came as a result of my association with him.

“Many people would have mistaken him for a very bad man, but he was visionary, fearless, a no-nonsense fellow and just wanted work done. I must also say that he had no grudge with anybody, you would quarrel with him in the course of job but take tea together shortly, peacefully.

He warned nothing should be cause of division among athletics stakeholders in Kenya, but good results.

“People must avoid petty politics in our sport. We need people who are well conversant with administration and avoid blaming each other, working for the result as Isaiah would do. You can quarrel for good result but nothing else.”

He noted the long-serving leader’s trailblazing achievements will go down the memory lane not only in Kenya but the rest of the world.

“Kiplagat did a lot, under his leadership he brought the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa that people talk about even today as the best ever. He also worked very hard to bring the Africa championships here and now we are having the Under-18 IAAF World Youth Championships in Nairobi next year.

“Everyone knows how much he fought for it, and many other changes. We did not have even an office to work from, he did it. In the sporting circles AK is only the only body that has a museum,” added Okeyo.

On the Rio Olympics fiasco whose dust is yet to settle, Okeyo felt had Kiplagat been present, his advice would have made it easier to navigate the way forward.

Javelin World champion Julius Yego thinks the gap left by the fallen former president will be hard to fill.

“When I came to athletics I found Kiplagat, a no-nonsense man of firm decision. A lot of good things came up in AK during his administration. It was him who introduced the registration of managers with AK, something very important that we must always remember.

“We will really miss him, someone will fill his shoes but getting a character like him will not be easy, concluded the YouTube man.

The influence man who was aptly described by Judge as a magnet who drew people to him when the mourners were asked how many people have been employed by Kiplagat and about 100 stood up.