3 counties in tight race to bag athletics bragging rights

Kenyans cheered feverishly when Eliud Kipchoge and Wilson Kipsang engaged in mind games through Westminster in the heart of London before Kipchoge punched the air in jubilation after he broke free to win Sunday’s blue-riband London Marathon.

Millions across the globe watched BBC’s live race production with pubs and other entertainment places in the North Rift filled to the brim as athletics enthusiasts followed what was billed as the most competitive marathon ever on pay channel SuperSport.

The elite men’s field had eight runners who boasted personal best times of under two hours and five minutes, while the women’s race celebrated the “fantastic four” galaxy of Kenyan superstars Florence Kiplagat, Mary Keitany, Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo.

Interestingly, Kipchoge’s victory did not go down well with fans watching the race at Iten’s Kipsang-owned Keellu Resort in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

Crestfallen, they quietly filed out of the resort’s halls at a viewing party organised by the Bank of Africa whose officials also offered investment advice ahead of the race.

Their man Kipsang had lost the race while three of the fantastic four, also from Elgeyo-Marakwet — Edna, Florence and Mary — failed to bag the London gold that fell to Ethiopia’s Tigist Tufa.

But at the Tortoise Hotel in Kapsabet town of Nandi County, there was a massive party after Kipchoge secured the title, with Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat joining residents in congratulating the Nandi-born athlete for the victory.

BITTER RIVALRY

“This is amazing. Not many people in Kenya are aware of such bitter rivalry within Kenyan athletics,” commented a perplexed Mumbi Karanja, Bank of Africa’s marketing and events officer and a first-time visitor to Iten.

The contrasting celebrations underscored the bitter athletics rivalry between the three North Rift counties of Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu.

In their emblems, all three counties seek to align themselves with the success of world-beating athletics stars, with Uasin Gishu priding itself as the “City of Champions” while Elgeyo-Marakwet carries the tag of the “Home of Champions” and Nandi boasts being the “Source of Champions.”

“Historically, Nandi is the source of champions and we are investing heavily in sports and tourism,” Nandi Governor Lagat says.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos sees the rivalry as friendly fire, saying it has helped uplift the performance of the region’s sports people. “When you watch keenly, you will see that previously, people have been supporting all Kenyans but now they follow their own athletes, looking for that sense of belonging,” he said yesterday.

Uasin Gishu sports executive Enock Muigei says the bitter inter-county rivalries have helped bring out the best in the athletes and inspired the development of infrastructure.

“Competition is healthy and when an athlete from Nandi wins, it is a challenge to athletes from the other two counties to improve.”