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Head of the African Office
Boxscore: NAIROBI, Kenya – December 9, 2020 – A plaque has been discovered in recognition of the municipality of Iten as a world heritage site for athletics.
Iten Township, which is located in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, is also known as the “home of champions” for having more athletic champions than anywhere else on Earth.
Iten is the second place in Africa to be recognized by the World Athletics as a World Athletics Heritage after Bekoji in Ethiopia.
Iten has been recognized in the location category, while Bekoji Township is in the landmark category.
As well as being home to quite a number of world champions in athletics both past and present, it is also popularly known as an athletic training destination. More than 3,000 local and international athletes trained at Iten in 2019.
Some of the athletic stars who have trained at Iten include Ibrahim Hussein, the three-time Boston Marathon winner and one-time New York City Marathon champion, Peter Rono (1988 Olympic gold medalist in 1500m), Wilson Boit Kipketer (3000m steeplechase world champion in 1997) and David Rudisha, 800m Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.
Others are Vivian Cheruiyot (2018 London Marathon winner), Mary Keitany (Olympic track and field athlete), Florence Kiplagat (Olympic track and field athlete), Joyciline Japkosgei (half marathon world record holder).
World Athletics launched the Department of Athletics Heritage Recognition in 2018 to preserve the athletic heritage, its artifacts, and in turn interact and inspire the stars and fans of today and tomorrow.
The Athletics World Heritage plaque is awarded to a location that has contributed to the development of the sport of athletics.
Other locations and organizations that have been similarly honored with a World Athletic Heritage plaque include the Boston Marathon, the Athens Marathon, the Jamaica Interscholastic Schools Boys and Girls Championship, the Istaf Olympic Stadium, the Magazine of Athletics and Athletics News Magazine.
