Athletics
100 chickens, one ton of rice, 10 sheep and 100 crates of soda for Jelimo party
The 800 metres Olympic Champion and IAAF Golden League jackpot winner, Pamela Jelimo acknowledges cheers from the crowd that turned up to welcome her at the Eldoret International Airport on Thursday. Photo/JARED NYATAYA
The sleepy Koyo village in Kapsabet came alive when their heroine, Pamela Jelimo, returned home to a rapturous reception on Thursday.
Thousands of people woke up early to receive their triumphant daughter who left months ago with a few pennies, but returned home an Olympic champion and a multi-millionaire.
First came the ‘Maputo Express’, then the ‘Eldoret Express’, and now, please welcome ‘Koyo Express’. From the small Koyo village, came a young girl, who would later floor established heavyweights in the two-lap race.
Jelimo’s homecoming in Koyo will remain etched in many people’s minds. And with her arrival at her village, many chickens, goats and bulls faced the knife.
By the time the over 10, 000 guests were done with feasting, over 100 chickens, four cows and 10 sheep had met the knife, according to one of the head cooks, David Kibet. Drinks were plenty - 100 crates of soda - so was the main dish, some 1,000 kilogrammes of rice and 20 bales of wheat flour
The whole village was engulfed in a carnival mood and not even the rains were to stop the party to go on overnight.
High ranking government officials who included Sports Minister, Hellen Sambili, Indusrtialisation Minister, Henry Kosgei, MPs Elijah Lagat, Joseph Kutuny and former MP Mark Too, were in the Eldoret Airport to receive the new Kenyan celebrity.
“Jelimo has made us really proud with this victory. She has set high standards for the upcoming athletes,” said former world 5000m champion, Daniel Komen.
“I won in the 1996 Grand Prix with Moses Kiptanui having won the previous year’s, but what Jelimo has done is commendable in repatriating back the acquired profits,” he added.
Concurring with Komen’s sentiments was Africa 5000m silver medalist, Isaac Songok, who heaped loads of praise to the new two-lap champion.
“It’s commendable to realise that Kenyan women have now found a place in the middle-races. I think the lady has a bright future and she should go for the world record in the next races,” said Songok.
It’s no secret that Jelimo’s victory has elicited a lot of interest.
“She is my true girl,” said Charles Kibiwott Bungei. Kibiwott, 62, has suddenly resurfaced after being reported to have walked out on the family.
The high school retired teacher claimed that he has been involved in all the home-coming preparations for his ‘daughter’.
“It’s not true that I walked out on the family. I have been involved in all the preparations for welcoming back Jelimo,” he said.
-
We have no shame. Right and left, it is a Kenyan adult behaving badly. If we are not pelting each other with stone, lynching each other or killing each other with machetes, bows and arrows even in places worship, we are abandoning our children and when they succeed in life, we resurface to be associated. Where is our dignity?
-
Relax SJ, you do not know what went on with this family for the father to be away! i agree some fathers just don't deserve anything, never the less they are still the fathers.
-
Absent fathers deserve zero payback for the contempt they had to their off springs. Why entertain a selfish father? Waswahili put it very well when they say procreating the baby is the easy part,just try bringing it up!This disgraceful High School teacher now appears out of the woods to share the spoils,I would keep him waiting at the gates.
RSS