Habari za Wiki - 23 February, 2021

Injured Silas Kiplagat Felt Like Crying While Watching Others Compete

Silas Kiplagat during Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships

Silas Kiplagat during Kenya Prisons Cross Country Championships

With a personal best of 3:27.64 minutes, Silas Kiplagat is the fifth fastest athlete of all-time in the 1500m. He is a 2011 world silver medallist in 1500m. He is also a 2010 Commonwealth champion. He was planning to transition to 5000m in 2017, but instead had to struggle with an injury. 

Silas talked with us about his injury as he watched others compete and his hope to represent Kenya at the Tokyo Olympic Games for a chance to win an Olympic medal. 

Eliud is Going Back To Where It All Began

Eliud Kipchoge Hamburg Poster

Eliud Kipchoge Hamburg Poster/ NN Running Team

12 April, 2013 Eliud Kipchoge made his splendid marathon debut in Hamburg setting a new course record of 2:05:30. 8 years later, Eliud is returning to Hamburg for the NN Mission Marathon in Hamburg on 11 April. 

Although the marathon is being used as an Olympic qualifier for athletes who are yet to qualify, for Eliud it will be a pre-Olympic tune-up race after the 2020 London Marathon, where he had a rare imperfect outing.  This tune up should make sure he’s mentally and physically ready for Tokyo, where he will seek to become the third man in history to claim back-to-back Olympic marathon titles.

Beatrice Sets Personal Best

For a second time, Beatrice Chepkoech was beaten by Ethiopian Lemlem Hailu at the 3000m indoor meet – this time in Torun, Poland. Beatrice ran really well, taking charge of the race, with Hailu sitting behind. At the bell Hailu unleashed her powerful kick, there was nothing Beatrice could do. She settled for second place setting her personal best at the distance of 8:31.72.

The last World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting is this Wednesday in Madrid for the Meeting Villa de Madrid where Qualine Kiprop and Beatrice Chebet will complete in 3000m. 

Peres Jepchirchir Feted as Kenya’s Best

Peres Jepchirchr is Kenya’s outstanding female sports personality of the year 2020. Jepchirchir, 27 won the world half marathon title with victory in Gdynia, Poland last October breaking her own women’s only half marathon world record with a time of 1hr 05mins 16secs. Peres beat boxer Christine Ongare and taekwondo athlete Faith Ogallo.  
 
Daniel Komen scooped the sportsman resilience award for owning three longest standing world records held by a Kenyan while Enda Elite Athlete and Paralympian Henry Wanyoike won the resilience award of people living with a disability for holding three world records. 
 
Saruni is Baaaaack!!!

It has been a while since we heard about Michael Saruni, the Kenyan who set an African indoor record in 800m two year ago.

Over the weekend Saruni ran 800m in 1:45.34 at the fourth American Track League fixture in Fayetteville. The 2018 NCAA (US collegiate running) indoor champion followed the pacemaker through 400m in 50.48 and held a slight lead over Isaiah Harris at 600m. Saruni then kicked on the final lap and opened a big gap on the rest of the field, going on to win by almost a second. 
 
Non-Kenyan news

Huwe Burton’s Journey from Wrongfully Convicted to Runner

When Huwe Burton was 16, he walked back home to find his mum dead. From there, things moved quickly and after a series of questioning, detectives said Burton had confessed to killing his mum. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years.

While in prison he took up running to get in shape for the prison football league but then he fell in love with running. In 2016, he ran the New York City Marathon while on parole and when he was exonerated in January 2019, he announced he was going to run the marathon again. He finds running as a way to connect with others and raise money to help others prove their innocence.

Elliot Giles Runs the Second-Fastest Indoor 800m in History

British’s Elliot Giles ran the second-fastest time in 800m indoor history at the World Indoor Tour in Toruń, Poland. The 26-year-old clocked in 1:43.63 seconds to also set a new British record previously held by Sebastian Coe since March 1983. 

From Us At Enda

 

The Enda Elite Athletes have made their attempt to set Fastest Known Times running up Mt Kenya, and it was a struggle. Neither of the men reached the summit, and Joan Cherop got lost and ran an extra 300m (1000 ft) of climbing on her return trip from the peak.

Ralph was along with them and wrote up the whole experience of summiting via the Chogoria route.

Joan Cherop Mt Kenya

From The Enda Community

 

Jen St. Jean got a break of good weather and snuck out for a great run in her Lapatets. She says, “Oh my lucky stars! It was almost 50°F today. Enjoyed every wet step. I put off my workout one more day. Today was neither easy or hard. I started off slow & gradually picked up the pace. These are probably my favorite kind of run”

Jen St. Jean on Instagram