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Laurels for the Hardy

Written by Annette Keino

Wednesday, 29 August 2007

I have, in spite of myself, been staying up late into the night to catch the latest action from Osaka where Kenyan athletes have made an emphatic come-back to the world stage. The passion for athletics does not come naturally to me. I find such events boring and often wonder at those who will pay money to go into stadiums to watch people running, throwing and jumping. I am not convinced either, that there is much use to society in competitive professional athletics, and neither am I won over by the arguments for any competition for primacy among nations.


winning	Photos: IAAF.org

Even so, when the entirety of society seems glued to their television screens, all caught up in the rivalry; the contests do gain an irresistible magnetism. More than that, there's something very attractive, especially for a country like ours where not much is going right, in having an accomplishment to sing and dance about, in winning like we did in the steeplechase yesterday. It was nice to get some positive attention in the international media and, perhaps merely in my imagination, from my friends here at university.

So now I keep looking at the newspaper to confirm the medal count, three golds, a silver and two bronze medals, and I look back with nostalgia at our heyday in the 1990s when we would regularly stick to the top of the medals board. For once even, I could tolerate reading such jingoism in the newspapers about Kenya being a great country. Let us live in the lie for a while longer.

Here's to the medallists, to the steeplechasers; and to Janeth Kipkosgei who shut up those commentators who thought her tactics poor, showed that Kenyan women can do just as well. I start jogging again this week.

Annette Keino
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written by emmo opoti , August 29, 2007

I stayed up myself, and I must admit that suitably chastened by past defeats, I did not expect Janeth to win. The pace she had run at, and the way the back two tore through the pack to come in second and third made me fear a collapse in the final straight.

As to benefits to society. It does seem like an idle pursuit contrasted against say computer programming but these athletes make proper bundles of cash and their contributions to their families make a big difference. This is made even better for Kenya by the very healthy turnover rate.

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written by donworry , August 29, 2007

I have been unfortunate in that I did not see the action live. It is always bad to depend on news highlights. Thanks to you two for confirming the results.

Well done team Kenya. You make us truly proud.

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written by Stephen Wanyama , August 29, 2007

Another benefit of the Wakimbiaji and increasingly Wakimbizi- cultural exports is the athletics tourism and such events as the World Cross Country Championships which bestowed upon Mombasa a fresh coat of paint, if not much else.

With regard to the high turnover rate. I try to follow as much as I can, but there does seem to be new kids on the block every day ( I saw a 17 year old Wanjiru yesterday) and not much longevity, at least not like Maria de Lourdes Mutola who was running 18 years after her first appearance at the World Championships.

I did get some attention from jirani and friends, but it was mostly the kind that demanded to know if I was a good runer also, and do we eat a lot of tofu, why are we so strong, etc.

Meanwhile, most of my friends are just perving on the girls (the non-musclies) as they wait for the rugby to start.

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written by Amina , August 29, 2007

Well, many of our athletes have sought citizenship in countries where there returns have increased. Sometimes one needs more than nationalism.

I am still glad though that we did win some races. Hooray! Congrats to the Kenyan athletes at the IAAF in Osaka.

Speaking of the Championships in Mombasa, I am afraid Kenya has not taken full advantage of the investment opportunities in having worldwide events/forums being held on the ground.

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written by Mr.Kay , September 07, 2007

For once even, I could tolerate reading such jingoism in the newspapers about Kenya being a great country. Let us live in the lie for a while longer.

Annette, you seem to not like your own country. We are a great country. Or do you think corruption and violence do not exist in the West?

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