Icia: Kenyas flag stands tall amongst nations, but its due to athletics

Jacob Icia, reporting from Moscow, Russia

My colleague Mukami Wambora always carries with her Kenyan flag everywhere we go since we landed here in Moscow for the 2018 FIFA World Cup coverage.

Amazingly, football fans from different countries have requested for selfies with the lady carrying one of the most popular flag on the globe.

So I thought the football fanatics who are here would relate the flag with Victor Wanyama only, but several see Olympic marathon champion Elius Kipchoge in it.

An Irish man whose invitation here is by the England national team was too excited talking about Kipchoge upon bumping onto us at the Moscow FIFA Fan Fest.

“Are you from Kenya… do you run… I will come to Kenya for the Lewa Marathon this year. I hope I can get a chance to shake Kipchoge’s hand. Will he be racing in Lewa…?”

Upon listening to his fast-paced queries, I decided to test whether the gentleman was a football oriented or athletics freak, so I asked him whether he knows any Kenyan footballer.

“Victor Wanyama. I have watched him several times. He is as good in what he does. I think Kipchoge would be playing in a big league like EPL if he was in football…” the man of many words continued.

Most of people who have identified our nationality here through the flag, have asked an athletics related question; either about our homegrown stars or ourselves, whether we run…

I had to assure the Irish guy his idol Kipchoge is a down-to-earth man, and would not mind to shake his hand if he ever visits Kenya.