Always look on the bright side of things

In life, we should still draw inspiration from even the most “negative” or “bizarre” circumstances.

Looking on the bright side of these “misfortunes” keeps us going, as human beings. Over the last two days, two “misfortunes” have provoked my positive thinking.

First was Sunday’s victory by Bahrain in the women’s marathon on Tower Bridge. Then there was Justin Gatlin’s gate-crashing of Usain Bolt’s farewell party in Saturday night’s 100 metres final at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.

Rose Chelimo denied Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat what would have been a hat-trick of victories in Kiplagat’s marathon swansong by outsprinting the Iten legend to cross Tower Bridge with the gold medal round her neck.

For a moment, I was upset, especially given that besides being a brilliant runner over the 42-kilometre distance, Kiplagat is a wonderful human being, her humility and demeanour second to none. Then, I thought, after all, Chelimo is merely wearing Bahraini colours but, born and bred in Kapsabet, Nandi County, she is still very much a Kenyan at heart.

It was a victory for Kenya, anyway. Chelimo is a popular figure in Kapsabet, as I realised while watching April’s Boston Marathon at the Tortoise Hotel in the Nandi County capital when a rapturous applause by the athletes and fans following the live race broadcast on television greeted her second place finish, interestingly behind Kiplagat.

Chelimo got her Bahraini citizenship on August 19, 2015, and, along with teammate, Rio Olympics marathon silver medallist Eunice Kirwa, and Olympic steeplechase champion-cum-world record holder Ruth Jebet, is among Bahrain’s biggest “imports” from Kenya.

Therefore, their victory is Kenya’s victory.

I was equally deflated when USA’s former drugs cheat Gatlin beat Bolt in the 100m final on the Jamaican legend’s farewell race.

Gatlin was twice busted for using banned performance-enhancing substances, and each time he has stepped on the Olympic Stadium track here, he’s been greeted with loud boos.

But then, I thought Gatlin acquitted himself very well in the post-race press conference on Saturday night, conceding that he had made mistakes, pulled himself together and transformed into a mentor for young athletes whom he doesn’t want to see make the same mistake he did. Gatlin served time, and, despite all the negative press around him, proved to the world that given a second, or third, man can reform and inspire.

That’s the bright side of Gatlin’s roller-coaster life on the fast lane (quite literally).

Let’s not be quick to condemn Chelimo for “denying us” gold and Gatlin for “cheating” his way to the top in the sprints.

Both inspire us in very much the same fashion they spoil our party.

After all, track and field is not a matter of life and death. It’s merely a sport.