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Eliud Kipchoge, the legend, leads from the front in distributing relief food to vulnerable athletes in the Rift Valley.
On Friday, the Olympic champion and marathon world record holder spent his day in Kericho County distributing the food that was signaled by sports cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed on Thursday.
Kipchoge, along with his Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, was chosen ambassador for the aid project by the Sports Ministry to motivate and assist athletes who have lost huge potential earnings due to race cancellation as the Covid-19 pandemic continues. to bite.
The food was donated by the ministry and supporters, including the Kenya Hindu Council, with Chief Sports Secretary Joe Okudo joining Amina to rule out shipments on Thursday.
The packages that are delivered to each athlete have, among others, corn and wheat flour, rice, cooking oil and pasta.
Athletes in Kericho were excited to not only receive the portions, but also had a close encounter with their legend Kipchoge, who became the first man to run the marathon in less than two hours in Vienna last October.
Kipchoge was, perhaps, difficult to identify, as he wore a face mask along with public health directives, but his Nike sweater and his unique gray Nike Zoom shoes along with spring, the famous spring in his step as he moved toward up and down, unloading the truck shipments, delivered it.
Seeing the legend “live” was a great comfort to the disruption in Kericho athlete training programs because of the Covid-19 precautions that prohibit group training sessions and races.
The Kipchoge program has also been seriously disrupted by the pandemic.
Last month, he had been online with fellow stable but rival Ethiopian Global Sports Communication, Kenenisa Bekele, at the London Marathon.
Then in July, he was ready to defend his Olympic marathon title in Sapporo.
But while the London Marathon on April 26 was postponed until October 4, the Olympics have been delayed until July and August of next year, keeping all factors constant.
Kipchoge now has to juggle staying in shape and helping disadvantaged athletes – in fact, the hallmark of a selfless legend.
On Friday, Kipchoge will be on the food aid mission in Kapsabet, Eldoret, Iten and Kaptagat.
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“Through Eliud Kipchoge, we have identified 58 athletes who are in dire need and deserve to receive these food packages,” CS Amina said Thursday as she pointed to the food convoy at Nyayo National Stadium.
“The effects of the pandemic mean that they cannot compete and that they have no source of income.”
The CS, which announced earlier this week that it will cover 1,000 athletes and women who will benefit from the relief food, also called on the private sector and individuals to complement government efforts to help vulnerable athletes and women. .
“We have several organizations that have already donated to us, such as Betika (gaming company) and we also have some money from the Sports Fund for this initiative, but we need to reach more athletes and athletes. Therefore, we call more organizations on board and help athletes during these difficult times, “he appealed.
Kipchoge joins Harambee Stars players, including Captain Victor Wanyama, Francis Kahata, and Johanna Omollo, who have sacrificed their time and resources to help the less privileged Kenyans in the current impasse.
On Friday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kenya rose to 621 with the announcement of 14 more positive results.
