Paris winner Kotut: I cant believe I met Uhuru twice

Even in his wildest dreams, Cyprian Kotut had no idea pounding the French capital’s tarmac for his biggest career victory on April 2 would also earn him an added bonus of meeting his country’s President twice in as many weeks.

It’s a rare privilege for those outside the inner circle of power and the newest sensation in the conveyor belt of ultimate distance running talent is still trying to come to terms with his luck.

Head of State Uhuru and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta landed in Paris for an official visit few hours after Kotut ran his lifetime best of 2:07:11 for victory and a meeting was hurriedly set up between Kotut, women’s champion Visiline Jepkesho and their compatriots who excelled at the race.

Owing to the tight schedule, the first encounter presented only a few words and a photo opportunity but President Uhuru delivered his promise to host them in State House, Nairobi on Monday alongside stars of the 2016 Cardiff IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

“I cannot even explain or get the right words express how I felt when I met the President, I was so happy. I felt like it’s not the same Kotut. Everything around me, I felt different since I had just won a marathon that was also a surprise to me,” the 24 year-old told Citizen Digital.

“In France the President sent a Government representative to our hotel to inform us that the he wants to meet us upon his arrival. We were accorded Presidential treatment from our hotel to his,” the excited Kotut recalled.

At State House, Kotut reveals the Head of State took time to explain to the assembled runners and himself one of the thorniest issues in the country’s sport-the doping menace.

“The first thing the President addressed was the Anti-Doping Bill and how he was going to personally follow it up. That is what I had in mind to ask him,” the Paris champion added.

Despite efforts being made to fast-track the Bill through the National Assembly before the expiry of the latest World Anti-Doping Agency deadline for compliance on May 2, Kotut admitted he and other athletes were still in the dark about the provisions of the proposed law.

“Actually most athletes don’t have much detail on the Bill. But the President, Ministry of Sports and Athletics Kenya officials present explained to us what it’s all about. The President was clear in his communication and is supportive of the athletes,” Kotut told.

Following the turn of events following his epic victory, Kotut is more motivated and he hopes to meet the country’s number two, Deputy President William Ruto, the kingpin of the Rift Valley region he hails from, soon.

He is also crossing his fingers that his performance will convince AK selectors to hand him a Rio 2016 Olympics ticket at the end of the month following the end of the spring marathon season in Europe.

Should he not get the nod, he has the lucrative Airtel Delhi Half Marathon lined-up hoping to better the 59:12 career best time he ran in 2014 for fourth.

He has identified training partner, Amos Kipruto who won in Rome last Sunday as his biggest threat should they face each other in India since they are under the same coach, Italian Claudio Berardelli.

Kotut is hoping to follow in his big brother, Martin Lel’s footsteps and rise to the World Marathon Majors series victory and the USD500,000 that comes with it.

Lel, the three-time London and two-time New York Marathon winner scooped the jackpot for the 2007/08 cycle.