Kenyas Boston heartache cuts deep in Kapsabet

Kenyas Boston heartache cuts deep in Kapsabet

Inside a tent packed with over 250 cheering fans watching a live viewing of the 120th Boston Marathon in Kapsabet, the capital of Nandi County, the self-named ‘Source of Champions’ on Monday evening, one middle-aged man stood out.

The venue was the Tortoise Hotel, owned by one of the county’s most famous sons and the 2008 Beijing Olympics champion, Wilfred Bungei where famous and upcoming athletes gathered to watch their favourite game play out in the classic World Marathon Majors race.

All eyes were on Moses Tanui, the former world 10000m champion and for the purpose of the day, a two-time Boston champion who is now a golfer and a businessman with interests in the hotel, farming and lately, medical services industry.

The marathon started with dark clouds, heavily pregnant with rain ominously hanging above and by the time the men and women races ended, the pouring showers best captured the gloom that swept the tent when Ethiopian runners, Lemi Bernanu Hayle (2:12:44) and Atsede Baysa (2:29:19).

Despite losing the titles to the archenemy from the north, the passionate crowd still roared when former All Africa Games champion, Joyce Chepkirui and then later, Cherangany Member of Parliament, Wesley Korir finished third and fourth in the women and men races.

Moses Tanui stands to applaud JoyceChepkirui who finished third in the women's race. PHOTO/Courtesy
Moses Tanui stands to applaud JoyceChepkirui who finished third in the women’s race. PHOTO/Courtesy

“Kenyans should run to stay back and watch the race because Boston you are not going to run the world record. The difference between Boston and other marathons is that it is a difficult cause and you need to watch for anything. Like today (Monday) you cannot run 2:12 in London and win a race.

“They must learn to be quiet during the first kilometres, up to 30K or 35K they should be there. They were trying to go ahead, back; that was the biggest problem for the Kenyans,” Tanui the Tokyo 1990 world champion in 10000m who was the guest of honour at the event said after the race.

“In congratulating the Ethiopians, I also want to single out our Member of Parliament, Korir who finished fourth. Representing the people and finding time to train for such a difficult race is hard. If he was not in Parliament, he would have won it two or three times,” the 1996 and 1998 Boston winner said.

Korir lost a breathtaking sprint to the finish in the battle for third with Yemane Adhane with the clocks returning 2:14:02 against 2:14:05 as he almost crushed the first ever Ethiopian podium sweep at the marathon.

Jepkirui (2:30:50) was well within the sights of second placed Tirfe Tsegay (2:30:03) in the latter stages of the women’s race before Baysa charged from being out of of the picture when she trailed by 37 seconds at the 30K mark to finish the race as the main the picture after surging from behind to destroy the front pair over the final 2K.

“Our athletes should respect the Boston course. It has uphills and down hills and when training for it, you should do the same. I used to go to Kaptagat or Iten where there is such terrain during my time. Most of our marathoners are training for speed,” Tanui who last won a marathon in Vienna in 2002 added.

“I was stressed a little. When you retire and see a race,sometimes your legs want to run but unfortunately, my legs have retired. In the first stages when Kenyans were doing well, I was happy but towards the end, it was sad,” Tanui who was a picture of contrasting emotions as the races unfolded said.

-Anti-doping-

Paris Marathon champion, Cyprian Kotut, being interviewed by visiting foreign journalist in the IAAF Day in Life Programme. PHOTO/Courtesy
Paris Marathon champion, Cyprian Kotut, being interviewed by visiting foreign journalist in the IAAF Day in Life Programme. PHOTO/Courtesy

Viewing the event was the climax of an afternoon of activities were Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Bank of Africa took the athletes through the critical subjects of doping, taxation and investment.

Kenya born-Danish former men 800m world record holder, Wilson Kipketer, said; “There is need to step up sensitisation of the doping issue among Kenyan athletes. There is little information out there.”

Project coordinator at ADAK, Christine Mugera, took the runners through the Anti-Doping Bill 2016 that is being discussed at the National Assembly that seeks to provide a legal framework to the vice that has seen over 40 Kenyan athletes suspended for doping.

 

“It is important for us to go through this issue of doping since we want our fellow athletes to run clean like we do,” Paris Marathon champion, Cyprian Kotut, underscored.

“Doping is giving us a bad name and it’s good we have such programmes to educate us about the dangers; especially for those upcoming athletes who are being mislead by bad people,” his 2 Running Club teammate and Rome Marathon winner, Amos Kiprop added.

Chicago Marathon, Dickson Chumba and Solomon Kirwa Yego who won the Rome Ostia-Half Marathon in the barnstorming 58:44 last month also from 2 Running Club were also honoured by Bank of Africa.

The event that seeks to organise viewing of 2016 World Marathon Majors Series with seminars on media, anti-doping, taxation and investment is the brainchild of IAAF Media Commission member, Elias Makori where foreign journalists in the country under the world body’s Day In Life Project got a chance to interview the athletes.

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doping ADAK boston marathon Moses Tanui

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