Trailblazers who put Kenya on world map

Nyantika Maiyoro and Hezekiah Nyamao are names that may not ring a bell for many Kenyans.

But they are among pioneer athletes who brought fame and pride to the country even before independence.

Maiyoro won gold for the Kenya colony in 5,000 metres while running bare footed in the 1954 Commonwealth games while Nyamao clinched a gold medal for Kenya in the 4x400m relay in the 1972 Munich Olympics.

He ran the race together with Charles Asati, Robert Ouko and Julius Sang.

Talking to The County Edition recently, Maiyoro was nolstagic about his youthful days as Kenya’s pioneer sportsman.

Had he been born at a different time, he would be a millionaire. Today, he leads a common man’s life at his Isoge settlement scheme farm in Borabu district.

The once great Kenyan athlete says that following his success in sports the Gusii council employed him as a stadium manager. He retired in 1999.

He nows keeps himself busy doing farming on his 50-acre land given to him by president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in the early 60s.

Maiyoro was born in 1932 at Kiogoro village in Nyaribari Chache, Kisii District. He dropped out of school at standard five to focus on his athletics career.

Awarded shields

During his days, they used to run for free and winners were only awarded shields and trophies unlike today where star athletes get millions of dollars.

The 1954 5 Commonwealth games in Vancouver, Canada remains fixed in Maiyoro’s mind.

He says that he had gone to the toilet and when he emerged other competitors had already started the race.

“I quickly removed my tracksuit and followed them, at the finish I could not believe it, I defeated all of them and won the race,” the aging Maiyoro recalls.

His 22-year career began at the age of 14 in 1946 when he starred in inter-schools competitions.

He used to participate in 1,500 and 5,000 metres but later specialised in the latter upon the advice of his coach and mentor, paramount chief Musa Nyandusi.

He was East African champion from 1948 to 1951 in Tanganyika, Uganda and Kenya.

He represented the Kenya colony in the African championships in Madagascar in 1952 in the then Northern Rhodesia.