Analysis of Kenyan Athletics in 2012

As we bid farewell to 2012, its time for an in-depth analysis of Athletics in Kenya for the year. It has been another fantastic year in terms of performances from the athletes who enabled Kenya sustain its good name as one of the top Athletics nations in the world. However, it’s also important to have a critical look at the decisions, policies and events that helped shape the athletics year.

So here’s my perspective on the positive and negative aspects of the athletics year.

One of the best things to happen this year was the Government’s initiative to reward medal winning athletes with significant cash prizes. It was a tremendous pat on the back for the winners and a motivational tool for future winners.

The highlight of the year was David Rudisha breaking the world record and winning gold in the London Olympics in what was regarded as the performance of the Games.

Elite and upcoming athletes benefited from a major workshop to educate them on the importance of financial planning and media training and to help them deal with the challenges of professional athletics.

Major sponsorships for local athletics events  by local conglomerates  were much appreciated. However, more sponsorships and promotions were needed to market many of the athletics events, as there were tremendous opportunities in supporting events in which some of the best athletes in the world are vying for spots for major championships.

Having said that, there were many other events organized by athletes both past and present, individuals and corporations to raise awareness for different causes that were enthusiastically supported by local sponsors. Some examples of this included the Standard Chartered Marathon, the Tecla Loroupe Peace Run, and the Lewa Marathon.

However, the biggest disappointment was the performance of Kenya's athletes at the London Olympics. Coming from a high in Daegu in 2011, Many had high expectations for Kenya to replicate its success at the highest level but disappointingly left London with only 2 Gold.

AK’s policy to issue invitations to only top athletes to the trials was discouraging the development of young athletes looking to break into the elite ranks.

The policy to select the first 2 automatically and the third by committee, has brought about many suspicions and frustrations.

Case in point, AK's new thinking of taking 15 10,000 meters athletes for selection at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon didn't produce any results at the London Olympics. Furthermore that mini trials locked out new and upcoming athletes from trying their luck at making the team.

  

Other weaknesses were the lack of technical expertise availed to athletes and coaches in the sprints and field events. There was also a deficiency of developmental programs to nurture talent of young sprinters.

Despite all the weaknesses, the future of Kenyan athletics looks bright and I am looking forward to another exciting year with a new set of challenges.

Best wishes for the New Year!

The unparalleled success of Kenya's junior girls in athletics

If there's anything as a sure thing in Kenyan Athletics then is is the success of junior girls in cross country.

 Theirs is a rich history of supremacy at that level. Tracing their performance from the early 90’s, our junior women have won the World Championships title twelve times, and recorded a perfect score twice. Despite the early promise, few have posted significant senior international results. It is surprising to see that since 1991, only three Kenyan girls who won junior world cross-country medals duplicated their feat at the senior level. 

During those years, Kenya's junior girls’ cross-country team won 28 world-championship medals. This contrasted to the senior level, which has double the medal opportunities, and won only 14.

One of the major stumbling blocks facing talented Kenyan junior female runners is a lack of continuity. Many of them excel in local and international championships but soon fizzle out, leaving athletics followers wondering why they cannot maintain their consistency at senior level.

Exactly what holds back so many girls is up for debate.  A number of factors have been cited, among them the maturity of girls’ to young women, the lack of professional guidance on diet and weight issues. There are also formidable cultural and social obstacles to be negotiated. Some get married at a young age and may consequently stop competing. Some undertake too many time-consuming obligations to train effectively while others fall victim to peer pressure.

Prize money, despite its potential for good, can also pose a problem as it can motivate girls to compete before they are quite ready and thus burn out. Unable to see past a new roof or an extra acre of land, some girls, and their families, focus on the present gains at the expense of their future athletic careers.

Worse still, this pursuit of the money sometimes causes girls to neglect their education. This is sad because if they get injured or pregnant, or simply lose interest in the sport, they have nothing to fall back on. It is impossible to know how many promising careers have been derailed by such problems as the situation is not discussed openly.

Amazingly, our young girls do not lack for good role models. For Lorna Kiplagat, Catherine Ndereba, Tegla Lorupe, Susan Sirma, Margaret Okayo and Vivian Cheruiyot have set standards for which the juniors can follow and look up to.

Despite Athletics Kenya having a budget to deal with youth development, they have done nothing to assist and develop our super youngsters. It has been left to pioneers like Lorna Kiplagat who  set up the first high altitude training camp for women in Africa. She has invested her prize money into alleviating the problems faced by girls looking for suitable residential camps and developing the next generation of female athletes. It is an investment that is beginning to pay off in ways likely to improve Kenyan society at large.

But we need to take it a step further from Lorna’s initiative if we are to continue to enjoy success at the junior level. A possible solution would be to start a sports academy, partnered with a major sponsor or sporting organization, for talented junior athletes where they combine academics and athletics. Students with exceptional running ability can be admitted on scholarship where they would get a solid education, but also get a chance to develop and focus on athletics with the best facilities and coaching that the country can provide. 

This way, our girls would be able to compete with and beat the Ethiopian women who, currently, are a standard above us. I’m sure Faith Chepngetich and Nancy Chepkemoi our two outstanding junior runners, can benefit from a project such as this and go on to be future World and Olympic champions.

Support for Athletics should start from Schools

Recently, I attended a high school event in the US and came off it thoroughly impressed by the creativity and team spirit displayed by the teams that participated. Without a doubt, nothing compares to the purity of high school athletics, so fierce, emotional and genuine. Young athletes bring to sports what the best of sports brings to the world. When teams possess a strong sense of morale, pride and spirit they are able to multiply their energy, achievement, efficiency and productivity. In essence, every teammate counts.

Of course, our schools athletics here in Kenya do not possess the same team spirit ideals, but they more than make up for it by their sheer enthusiasm and the production of near world-class performances. Although the young athletes themselves possess the aura of success, there is not the fan base or community support that is the often a key ingredient in achieving success. Other sports as football, rugby volleyball etc, have vibrant fan bases and athletics fans can learn a few tips from these sports. It is at the high school level where the youth learn the values and ideals of team spirit that will spill over on to their college and professional lives.

In Kenya, athletics is not an individual sport. It has always been part of a collective drive. This team spirit, reflected in the excellent results of the cross-country teams in World Championships, is the consequence of what is taught in the training camps. The team spirit that motivates the nation’s athletes in the 3000 meter steeplechase, for instance, is a cultural exception. The excellent results of the steeplechase runners over the years prove that this distinctive characteristic wins medals. However, this tradition has not developed by chance; it is based on selfless personalities of the athletes and the great camaraderie between Kenyan athletes.

However, broadly speaking, the national athletics teams have nowhere near the team spirit or fan support that Harambee Stars or the Rugby Sevens teams have here at home. There are hardly any fans watching our heroes when the national championships or trials are on nowadays. There are high expectations of any Kenyan running team competing in any major championships, yet most fans do not show their support until they win. By comparison, the Ethiopians are extremely passionate about their athletes. Go to any big race in Europe where their athletes are competing and you will find a big group of Ethiopians, clad in their bright national colors, following and excitedly supporting their athletes.

It makes a big difference to the athlete competing to know that their own are visibly supporting them.

Sports is exciting in itself but the innovativeness, imagination, and enterprise those countries expressing team spirit has shown is to be acknowledged. The internet has added many new dimensions to sporting events. It has changed the way people view sports and now even a fan staying many oceans away can have a say and be heard by millions across the world.

Therefore, I urge more people to go out, support athletics, and be proud of our world-beaters.  Show you are an avid supporter by wearing and using Kenya merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, flags etc. Create local fan clubs for your favorite athletes to cheer for them and show that you care. 

Berlin marathon

Last week’s BMW Berlin Marathon drew more buzz and controversy than the acclaim it deserved after producing the fastest men’s marathon of the year.

Hyped as a world record attempt by Geoffrey Mutai, focus was on the set up of the fastest legal time ever in the marathon to erase the current best of Patrick Makau’s spectacular run last year in the same venue.

Mutai made a brave attempt at the record winning in a time of 2:04:15, a blistering time, but slightly behind the world record of 2:03:38, which was set by Patrick Makau last year in this very race. It is no coincidence that these fast times are produced in this race. The Berlin course is flat and custom made for fast times. 

Coming off a phenomenal 2011 where he ran the fastest ever marathon in Boston that unfortunately did not count for an official record due to significant elevation drops and tailwinds, there were high expectations of Mutai to further reduce the current record to new lows.

Mutai also won the New York marathon last year, which had most pegging him as the best marathoner on the planet. However, that status took a big hit after he withdrew from this year's Boston Marathon and then was not included on the Kenyan Olympic team. 

Well, Mutai is definitely back on track. While he was gunning for a world record in this event, his performance was still impressive. This was the fastest time at a marathon this year, and the sixth fastest ever.

 Athletics Kenya must rue its decision not to select Mutai as part of the Olympic team to London because he is certainly the strongest marathon runner at the moment.

 Mutai edged out his training partner Dennis Kimetto at his debut marathon by one second and the two ran neck and neck for much of the later stages of the race.

It isn’t the close finish that had people talking; it’s the manner in which both men crossed the line. There was no sprint to the finish by both athletes and Kimetto never attempted to pass Mutai.

Some race commentators even suggested that Kimetto didn’t put up a sprint at the end in order to enable Mutai win because there was less at stake for him, which I found rather callous.

But most viewers didn’t realize that these two were running at well under world record pace in 3^rd quarter of the race that neither had the energy for a final sprint, especially the debutant who was operating in new territory.

The lackluster finish drew more buzz when Mutai was awarded the World Marathon Majors title with his victory in Berlin. In order to win the World Marathon Majors title, an athlete must win 3 out of 5 major marathons in the sports 2-year cycle. In 2011, Mutai won both the Boston and NYC marathons, making Berlin his third major marathon.

Nonetheless, it was a great day for Kenyan runners who completely dominated the Berlin Marathon taking the top nine spots in the race.

Setting the Pace TV Show

Athletics in Kenya hasn’t had quite the profile it should over the years given its tremendous success globally.  In comparison, other sports such as football and rugby and to a certain extent, cricket command a huge following locally.

While interest has been building in athletics lately, peaking with the recently ended London Olympics, there is much more to learn about Kenyan athletics that could easily propel it to highest platform and status that it deserves.

This column has been instrumental in engaging and informing readers on print, on the various nuances of athletics, both local and global. However, it is just a start.

Coming soon and for the first time ever, Setting the Pace, a TV magazine show solely focusing on athletics in Kenya will take a look into past and or current events, profile past and current Kenyan athletes, feature success stories of past Kenyan athletes and provide highlights on what is to come in the world of athletics.

The aim of the show is to provide audiences with relevant and much sought after information around athletics celebrate our athletes whilst giving them a platform to speak about their journey into the world of athletics.

Setting the Pace, a half hour show, will air every Friday starting on October 19^th on Zuku Sport on Channel 300.

Apart from reviewing and highlighting local and international events with Kenyan athletes’ participation, I will be hosting prominent athletics personalities and others in the industry in a studio setting to discuss exciting and sometimes controversial issues in the sport.

The show will also feature an exciting segment that highlights Kenya’s future athletics stars. This will give viewers a glimpse into Kenya’s potential champions and indications of our very promising prospects on the global scene.

I am very excited about this transition of “Setting the Pace” from print to television because it provides an exciting opportunity to showcase, highlight, raise the profile and prominence of athletics and athletes in East Africa. Equally important is raising awareness and promoting the athletics properties that are available on Zuku.

The show aims to provide to its target audience; everyone from aspiring athletes to elite athletes, coaches, administrators, potential sponsors and fans, unique insights into the sport that were previously unavailable on local television.

Sports for peace

If there was a time in our country’s history that sports has had a greater role in unifying the country through its success in sport, it was in 2008. Since then, Kenya has had its peace back except for a tumultuous month in the Tana Delta not long ago. The potential links between sport and peace here in Kenya nonetheless, is powerful.

From international events to the grass roots, sport brings people together in a way that can cross boundaries and break down barriers, making the playing field a simple and often apolitical site for initiating contact between antagonistic groups. Consequently, sport can be an ideal forum for resuming social dialogue and bridging divides, highlighting the similarities between people and breaking down prejudices.

Many of the values associated with sport are relevant to conflict prevention and resolution and to peace building. Well organized activities teach participants respect for each other, honesty, empathy, the importance of having rules, effective communication and co-operation skills. These skills and values are all essential to both resolving conflict and preventing it from arising in the first place.

Sport can also serve as a positive means of interaction between communities, people and cultures, contributing to the maintenance of a dialogue between parties in open or latent conflict. The tradition of Olympic Truce, the longest lasting peace accord in history, demonstrates the international potential of sport for peace.

Now, more than ever, sports for peace events are needed locally to help to create a structured, constructive outlet for the people affected that is oriented toward peaceful resolution of aggression and tensions in conflict or post conflict situations.

There are two local sports events that strive to achieve these ideals in the most unique settings.

An initiative called the Laikipia Highland Games mooted five years ago by Kuki Gallmann, the Gallmann Memorial Foundation and the Rift Valley Trust was held yesterday to celebrate peace through sport for several local communities around the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

The Laikipia Highland Games is unique in that it is held in the wild confines of the Conservancy and it encompasses both Western modern athletics and traditional tribal games. In keeping with the spirit of art, environment and sport, all common denominators, these Games aim to bridge differences across the tribal divide.

These games have become an exciting annual event and attract competitors from across the country, not only as a sporting event but as a tourist attraction.

The Tecla Loroupe Peace Run in Kapenguria through the Tecla Loroupe Peace Foundation has been in existence for 10 years now and has spread its wings to other parts of the country and across borders to spread the message of peace.

These sporting events do much to assist reconciliation and development of peace among warring communities. In the lead-up to the next elections, politicians from troubled communities would do well to ride on these forums to encourage the peace building, instead assuming that they are usurping their roles or stealing their thunder.

Exciting road racing season begins

The track and field season is now over and paves way for the road racing season. And what a season it is. Every weekend in this period, thousands of runners will pound the pavements and trails around the country. From challenging half-marathons in the wild, themed 10 km races to major city marathons, options abound for the elite athlete to the casual jogger.

The marathon and its complementary races have become an annual fixation for many aspiring athletes and recreational athletes alike with different goal sets. Remarkably, it is the participation that counts and the personal gratification of completing the distance no matter the placing. There is an incredible feeling sharing the road with people of different age groups, race and ability.

The marathon is beyond doubt one of the most difficult and attractive races in athletics. The inherent, resonant beauty of the classic distance manifests itself in many ways, and chief among these is that the marathon is perhaps more ethnically diverse than any other major world sport save for football.

However, Kenya’s dominance of the marathon in recent years is truly remarkable! We have produced countless winners of several marathons around the world both men and women and our depth in this event is astonishing.

No other country in the world has the quality or the depth that Kenya possesses in the marathon. In many ways, our distance supremacy is a symbol for everything that is great about the marathon. Our country is among the world's poorest, yet we continually produce runners who test the body's physical limits and the mind's imagination.

So, it is exciting that the 2nd half of the major marathon season is upon us and the excitement and anticipation of seeing the biggest marathons in the world unfold is here.

All over Europe and the US, big cities are hosting marathons that provide the venues for our athletes to excel. The most famous ones this autumn are Chicago, Berlin, New York, Frankfurt, Beijing and Honolulu.

Locally, Ndakaini, Maasai Mara, Standard Chartered and Kass marathons are opportunities for upcoming athletes to test their mettle. I’m happy that the standard of local road races has improved and the quality and incentives now for the numerous local athletes are quite good that most do not have to seek foreign races to earn a living.

Athletics Kenya, while meaning well to regulate the road race events, ought to classify these local races rather than impose exorbitant fees across the board on events big and small.

Beyond providing athletes opportunities to earn a living or achieving physical goals, marathons are a huge catalyst for fundraising for good causes. Most major marathons and to a certain extent, our local marathons align themselves to a particular charity and raise funds from proceeds of their event.