Nandi County has produced many brilliant athletes from Eliud Kipchoge who smashed the world record at the 2022 BMW Berlin Marathon on September 25 to former world Javelin champion Julius Yego.
Other elite runners who come from Nandi County include first Kenyan woman Olympic gold medalist Pamela Jelimo, Bernard Lagat, Henry Rono, Janet Jepkosgei and 2016 Rio de Janeiro 3,000m Steeplechase gold medalist Conseslus Kipruto.
However, despite these runners putting Kenya’s name on the global map, very few Kenyans are aware of the sorry state of the Kip Keino Stadium, the training facility located a few Kilometres from Eliud’s place of birth.
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The poor state of the facility has forced athletes from the region to shift their camps to the neighbouring counties of Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet.
For example, Kipchoge trains in Kaptagat, Elgeyo-Marakwet County alongside other brilliant Kenyan runners among them 1,500m reigning world and Olympic champion Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon and Geoffrey Kamworor.
On Sunday, the day Kipchoge broke his own marathon world record and narrowly missed out on a sub 2:00.00 finish, veteran sports legend Saddique Shaban visited the facility.
According to Shaban, the stadium which has produced many legends is in dilapidated conditions.
“The Kip Keino Stadium here in Kapsabet, Nandi County is yet to be completed. They are yet to lay the tartan track, but the entire length has asphalt layers.
“Some work is still needed in order to complete the perimeter fence and secure this property from the hands of land grabbers.
“The County government of Nandi tells me they are working vigorously with the national government in order to get funding to complete this project to honour the legacy of athletes who have come from this region, particularly the goat himself, Eliud Kipchoge” he stated.
Shaban urged Kenyan leaders to act with urgency and ensure stadiums such as the Kip Keino that have been neglected get completed to ease the lives of athletes.
“Just another day you come around this country, then you see the sporting facilities are in a sorry state. We need leaders to back up their words and complete this facility so that we can improve the lives of Kenyan athletes” ended Shaban.
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