Sofapaka owner Elly Kalekwa with Betika’s Head of Commercial John Mbatia during the launch of the new sponsorship on October 16, 2019
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – At a time when the Kenyan Premier League is grappling with financial difficulty, 2009 champions Sofapaka have received a shot on the arm with betting firm Betika renewing their partnership for another year at a cost of Sh35mn.
This is an improvement of Sh20mn over what the club was getting from the betting firm.
The two parties had initially agreed on a Sh50mn per season deal in 2007 but the same was scaled down to Sh15mn after the company failed to financially shoulder the new betting tax rules introduced by the government.
The deal was initially set to last for three years and with it coming to an end this year, a new deal has been signed.
“We have been partnering with Sofapaka for the last few years and we are glad with the growth they have had and the benefits that have come from this partnership. We are ready to support them even more especially with our community initiatives,” Betika’s Head of Commercial John Mbatia said during the launch on Wednesday morning.
Sofapaka owner Elly Kalekwa with Betika’s Head of Commercial John Mbatia and some of the club’s players during the launch of the new sponsorship on October 16, 2019
Sofapaka was one of the clubs whose players were going months without pay after the proceeds from the sponsorship was slashed but they will have an easier season this time round as they seek an assault for the Kenyan Premier League crown.
“We are glad to see the partnership with Betika growing, They came in at a time when we were facing difficult times and we were almost being demoted from the league due to club licensing issues. Through their input, our performance on the pitch has improved and we hope to do more and better,” Sofapaka owner Elly Kalekwa said.
He added; “Our target this season is to fight for the title and this financial help they have given us will go a long way in motivating the players.”
The club will now stabilize for the remaining part of the campaign.
There has been a clamor by several KPL clubs to have the league halted due to financial difficulty with many clubs left suffering after the exit of SportPesa as the league’s official title sponsors.
Gor Mahia and AFC leopards who were also relying on the gaming firm have since declared their struggles, each stretching begging bowls on the streets to ensure survival.
Tony Omuli pose with Safari Tour Royal leg title. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – Golf Park’s Tony Omuli claimed his first-ever Safari Tour Golf Series win at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the Tour after he defeated homeboy Eric Ooko in a three-hole playoff that was played after 72 holes.
Having finished their four-round challenge tied at 3-over par 291 scores at the top of the leaderboard, both embarked on the playoff at the par-4, 10th, the par-4 11th and the par-4, 18th holes; setting a stage for a grand finish to the tournament.
At the 10th, both got off to a par before proceeding to the 11th where Omuli held par as Ooko holed a bogey.
At the 18th, Ooko’s second shot bounced off a tree to land on the fairway while Omuli found the middle of the fairway with his second. They both missed birdie chances on the green, but it was Omuli who carried the day having held par as Ooko dropped yet another shot.
Tony Omuli measures his putt at 18th hole during the Safari Tour at Royal Golf Club. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Earlier in the day, Omuli had carded a round of 72 to match his round from Tuesday; seeing him cement his 3-over par 291 score. On his part, Ooko had a less-than-ideal day, posting a 5-over par 77 score, in the process eroding the tremendous effort he had made yesterday to post an identical score as Omuli.
Speaking after the round, Omuli said that he was delighted with the result, adding that it adds impetuous to his Safari Tour challenge for the remainder of the season.
“I am extremely happy to have my first Safari Tour victory. It has been a long time coming and I think it comes at the right time just as we are getting into the thick of things in this year’s Safari Tour calendar. I believe that this will give me enough motivation to challenge for the top position in the remaining legs of the series,” he said.
Erick Ooko and Simon Ngige watch Anthony Omuli tee off at 18th tee. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
On his part, Ooko expressed disappointment for the missed opportunity to win his first Safari Tour victory at his home club but remained satisfied with his best-ever finish at the Safari Tour.
“I am gutted with my performance today as it’s clear that I lost a chance to record my first Safari Tour win. I am, however, encouraged with the performance and look forward to similar performances in subsequent events,” he said.
For his efforts, Omuli took home Sh105,000 in prize money while Ooko bagged Sh70,000. Meanwhile, Mohit Mediratta and Simon Ngige ended their campaign at the tournament tied in second having posted 4-over par 292 scores; taking home Sh54,250 apiece.
The trio of Njuguna Ngugi, Riz Charania and Johnnie-Walker-Sponsored Dismas Indiza posted 5-over par 293 scores seeing them end the tournament tied in fifth and taking home Sh45,500 each.
Nyali’s Dennis Nduva took the amateur silver salver having ended the tournament as the highest ranked elite amateur at the tournament.
For the second time this season, the Safari Tour featured two lady golfers taking part in the main tournament – amateur Naomi Wafula and lady pro golfer, Bhavi Shah who both missed the cut but put up a decent fight over the first two rounds – pointing to the growing interest among professional and elite amateur lady golfers in the tournament.
Action in the 2019-2020 Safari Tour Golf Series returns in Entebbe, Uganda at the Entebbe Open from the 30th of October to the 2nd of November 2019. The series is sponsored by both Magical Kenya and Absa.
Safari Tour Calendar 2019/20
Golf fans at Royal Nairobi Golf Club following the proceeding. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Event 1 Nyali Golf and Country Club 24th – 28th August 2019 (DONE)
Event 2 Uganda Open (Lake Victoria Serena) 10th – 14th September 2019 (DONE)
Event 3 Royal Nairobi Golf Club 12th – 16th October 2019 (DONE)
Event 4 Entebbe Open (Entebbe Golf Club) 30th Oct – 2nd Nov 2019
Event 5 Great Rift Valley Golf Club 23rd – 27th November 2019
Event 6 Muthaiga Golf Club 14th – 18th December 2019
Event 7 Thika Greens 4th – 8th January 2020
Event 8 Sigona Golf Club 25th – 29th January 2020
Event 9 Kitante Open (Uganda Golf Club) 12th – 15th February 2020
Event 10 Karen Country Club 22nd -26th February 2020
Event 11 Tanzania Open (Kiligolf) TBC
2020 Magical Kenya Open, Karen Country Club, 12th – 15th March 2020.
Team Kenya Davis Cup Kevin Cheruiyot-Ibrahim Kibet-Petty AndandaCaptain in the middle Rosemary Owino Ryan Randiek-Ismail Changawa and Olivier Kigotho FROM L to RIGHT. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 – Kenya must prepare for a tough battle against Indonesia in a match that will determine who plays in the Davis Cup Group II category on March 6 and 7.
Head coach Rosemary Owino said the country will have to wade into unknown waters as they face off against the Asian giants for the first time ever.
“We shall review clips from their previous performances to understand their strengths and weaknesses,” said Owino, “It is a new assignment for the team and we hope to soak up the pressure and deliver. Preparations have started for Davis Cup 2020.”
Team Kenya Davis Cup Kevin Cheruiyot-Ibrahim Kibet-Petty Andanda-Ryan Randiek-Ismail Changawa and Olivier Kigotho walk on the court FROM L to RIGHT . Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Kenya, who were promoted along with Namibia to the Davis Cup Group II play-off stage, must win against Indonesia to avoid being relegated to Africa Group III.
Tennis Kenya President James Kenani said the country must have a better strategy on how to tackle Indonesia. “We will work with the team to find out their budget and then plan accordingly with the coach,” said Kenani.
Kenya’s Tennis star Ismail Changawa trains at Nairobi Club. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
The winner between Kenya and Indonesia will go on to compete in Group II proper and fight it out with teams dropping down from the Group I playoffs.
After the draws for the 2020 Davis Cup World Group I and World Group II playoffs, a total of 36 competitions will be played on a home-and-away basis.
KPL CEO Jack Oguda during a previous press briefing. Photo/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 – The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) management has asked for the government’s help in running the league due to the exit of sponsors SportPesa and the apparent failure to land a new sponsor immediately.
There have been calls for the league to be halted over the current financial cash crunch with most clubs struggling to make their ends meet and one club, Sony Sugar, already having given out a walk over.
All the 18 KPL clubs met on Thursday morning at the league’s headquarters in Westlands and while there was an agreement that the league should not be suspended, the clubs have now asked for the government’s help.
“We have approached various corporates but due to the current economic situation in the country, the offers being tabled do not meet the demands of the League. It takes time to formalize any sponsorship deal since most corporates operate on running budgets which were already set in the beginning of their respective financial year,” a statement from KPL CEO Jack Oguda reads.
He added; We would like to formally plead with the Government to step in and provide a short-term financial solution to facilitate the smooth running of the League. Some of the teams are struggling to honor both local and international matches whilst players and officials risk losing their employment.”
-SportPesa exit
Gor Mahia players line up before a past Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
With the exit of SportPesa, KPL as well as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have been left without sponsors while most other companies sponsoring teams, especially those from the sugar belt are struggling.
The betting company announced two weeks ago that it was folding its Kenyan business due to the tax burden loaded by the new laws.
“We also appeal for more tax incentives to corporates that are supporting the sport and to other football stakeholders (fans, corporates) to come and support the beautiful game,” Oguda’s statement further added.
There are a few clubs who can sustain themselves under the current financial crunch, most of them being institutional clubs. Tusker, KCB, Ulinzi Stars, Bandari, Wazito and lately Sofapaka who signed a new sponsorship deal with Betika on Wednesday are on a financial safe space.
The sugar belt sides; Chemelil, Nzoia and Sony are struggling to make ends meet with their parent companies struggling amidst their failing industries.
-Nyayo Stadium
The playing surface is the only positive from the refurbishment of the Nyayo National Stadium
Meanwhile, the league managers have asked for the government to expedite the renovation of the Nyayo National Stadium which will attract more fans and reduce the running costs of the teams in terms of travel and accommodation costs.
Nairobi based teams have been forced to scramble for the expensive Kasarani Stadium whose availability has not been as frequent.
The Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos has been the alternative for most which has led to its overuse.
Narok Stadium and Afraha in Nakuru have as well been used as rebounds incase Machakos is fully booked.
Windsor’s Riz Charania at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series.-1. Photo/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 – Windsor’s Rizwan Charania and Thika Golf Club’s Simon Ngige are joint leaders on the Road to the 2020 Magical Kenya Open ranking with 166.6 points each after three Safari Tour legs.
With last season’s overall winner of the Safari Tour, Greg Snow, not playing at the Royal Nairobi leg due to engagements outside the country, both Charania and Ngige climbed one and two places respectively to the ranking summit ahead of the fourth leg which tees off in a fortnight in Entebbe, Uganda.
Ngige finished tied in third, alongside Mohit Mediratta, at the just-concluded Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the 2019-2020 Safari Tour Golf series leg to garner a total of 44 points; while Charania finished tied in fifth, alongside Dismas Indiza and Njuguna Ngugi, amassing 37.6 points.
Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Erick Ooko, who fell short of clinching his maiden Safari Tour victory to Golf Park’s Tony Imuli, garnered 48 points to see him climb one place on the ranking to settle in third with a total of 158.5 points.
Johnnie-Walker-sponsored Dismas Indiza, who was the highest ranked Kenyan at the Uganda Open last month amassing maximum Safari Tour points, is currently ranked fourth with a total of 142.6 points. He finds himself one place ahead of fellow Johnnie-Walker-sponsored golfer, Greg Snow, who is in fifth with 135 points.
Sigona’s Mohit Mediratta, who has had a decent outing so far in the Tour, is sixth with a total of 129 points having garnered 44 points from the Royal Nairobi leg of the Tour.
Nyali’s Njuguna Ngugi is ranked seventh, just 4.6 points behind Mohit. Meanwhile, winner of the Royal Nairobi leg of the Safari Tour jumped 12 places on the ranking to settle for 13th place with a total of 64 points.
The Safari Tour Golf Series is used to prepare players for the Kenya open Golf Championship; with its ranking determining the local and regional pros who play at the Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship.
Safari Tour Calendar 2019/20
Event 1 Nyali Golf and Country Club 24th – 28th August 2019 (DONE)
Event 2 Uganda Open (Lake Victoria Serena) 10th – 14th September 2019 (DONE)
Event 3 Royal Nairobi Golf Club 12th – 16th October 2019 (DONE)
Event 4 Entebbe Open (Entebbe Golf Club) 30th Oct – 2nd Nov 2019
Event 5 Great Rift Valley Golf Club 23rd – 27th November 2019
Event 6 Muthaiga Golf Club 14th – 18th December 2019
Event 7 Thika Greens 4th – 8th January 2020
Event 8 Sigona Golf Club 25th – 29th January 2020
Event 9 Kitante Open (Uganda Golf Club) 12th – 15th February 2020
Event 10 Karen Country Club 22nd -26th February 2020
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 17 – First, Eliud Kipchoge became the first athlete to break the two-hour mark over the distance, then Brigid Kosgei smashed Paula Radcliffe’s women’s world record.
Both Kipchoge and Kosgei wore bespoke versions of trainers designed to improve running economy by 4%.
It has been reported a group of athletes have complained to the IAAF about the trainers, and the sport’s governing body said this week it had set up a “a working group to consider the issues”.
The idea of modifying equipment to improve performance is obviously nothing new, with the concept of ‘marginal gains’ bringing that into sharper focus.
In this particular case, the Nike Vaporfly has a carbon-fibre plate fitted in its chunky foam sole which supposedly helps propel runners forward.
Dr Thomas Allen – senior lecturer in sports engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University – told BBC Sport: “You can’t radically change a shoe, but reducing the mass of it might give you a 1% gain.
“Adding more cushioning to the midsole might give you another 1% gain. And if you introduce a stiff plate to the midsole, does that give you another 1% gain?
Eliud Kipchoge and his coach Patrick Sang during the launch of the Ineos 1:59 challenge in London. PHOTO/Ineos 1:59/Twitter
“This technology isn’t new – a university in Canada is considered to be the first to have come up with, and test, the idea of putting a stiff plate in the midsole of a running shoe.
“Nike appear to have gone a step further, as looking at one of their recent patents they seem to have put three stiff plates in the forefoot of the midsole.
“The idea behind those is running efficiency improves.”
Sports scientist Professor Ross Tucker says the improved performance is down to a reduction in energy loss.
“Think of a rubber ball bouncing rather than a squash ball,” he wrote on Twitter.
“You could previously run a speed of X, using a certain amount of energy. If you can use less energy, you can increase your speed before you hit that energy ceiling.
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge making history in Vienna
“Companies have been trying for decades to do this, but failed for various technical reasons.
“This new foam, plus innovation, overcame the barrier. Other companies are now trying to engineer the same.”
‘It feels like running on trampolines’
Kosgei’s historic run in Chicago means the men’s and women’s marathon and half-marathon world records are now held by athletes who wore the same footwear.
And the top-10 finishers in the men’s race in Chicago all wore Vaporflys. One – American Jake Riley – has said the trainers make it feel like he is “running on trampolines”.
Dr Allen says it is difficult to determine whether the shoes give athletes an advantage over runners of a similar ability who are not wearing them.
“Manufacturers work on a project five to 10 years ahead of time and typically claim all sorts of things about their products,” Dr Allen said.
“There are also question marks around how the shoes degrade, which happens from the moment they are worn.
“Lab tests are not the perfect environment – they are controlled and simplified so they don’t mimic the conditions out on the road.”
Trying to find the right balance
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei smiles after winning the women’s 2019 Chicago Marathon with a world record of 2:14:04
In a 2017 study published in Sports Medicine, every one of 18 runners tested at the University of Colorado had better running economy in the Vaporflys – the forerunner to the new model – than wearing two other types of popular racing shoes. The average improvement was about 4%.
A 2018 follow-up by the New York Times delivered a similar conclusion. With a more extensive sample – 500,000 marathon and half-marathon runners – it recorded a six-minute improvement for a three-hour marathon runner, and about an eight-minute improvement for a four-hour finisher.
Current rules state “shoes must not be constructed so as to give athletes any unfair assistance or advantage – and any type of shoe used must be reasonably available to all in the spirit of the universality of athletics”.
Two days after breaking the marathon world record in Chicago, Brigid Kosgei was nominated for IAAF female world athlete of the year
In its statement on Tuesday, the IAAF said: “It is clear that some forms of technology would provide an athlete with assistance that runs contrary to the values of the sport.
“The challenge for the IAAF is to find the right balance in the technical rules between encouraging the development and use of new technologies in athletics and the preservation of the fundamental characteristics of the sport: accessibility, universality and fairness.”
Cecil Africa played at the tournament 12 years ago then featuring for the South Africa Emerging Boks. Photo.COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – Returning to the tournament that propelled him to greater heights of rugby sevens, South Africa’s top fly-half Cecil Afrika is eager to roll back the memories when he leads the experienced Blitzbokke side at this weekend’s Safari Sevens to be hosted at RFUEA Ground.
The squad of 14, a blend of young and experienced players led by skipper Siviwe ‘Shakes’ Soyizwapi arrived in Nairobi on Friday morning full of positive expectations.
The tournament will be a vital step for the Boks to give experience to the new players as well as gain fitness ahead of the 2019/20 World Sevens Series which kicks off in December.
Kenya Sevens skipper Andrew Amonde in action against the South African in a past event. Photo/COURTESY
Afrika will not be new to Kenyan surroundings as he will be in the country for the third time and makes his maiden appearance at the tournament for the first time in 12 years.
He was part of the Emerging Boks squad that played at the 2007 Safari Sevens. He reckons the tournament is a top-class rugby event and has challenged his compatriots not to underrate any team.
“I’ve been here (in Kenya) twice in 2006 and 2007 representing the Emerging Boks, so coming back to where it all started is a pretty good thing for me,” Afrika who has faced Kenya’s Shujaa several times at the World Series told Capital Sport.
“We are giving new players a chance to get experience and get the exposure because it’s an Olympic year so that by the time we retire they can carry on. We are focused and will embrace teamwork, do what we have worked on in training and take a team at a time,”
South Africa’s star Cecil Afrika in action at a past event. Photo/COURTESY
“The tournament will help us find our mistakes to work on before we start the World Sevens Series. It will be a tough tournament but we are looking forward to winning.” added the experienced fly half.
South Africa have split their team into two with one led by head coach Neil Powell headed to Manchester on Monday for a pre-season tournament while the second led by assistant coach Renfred Dazel will be in Nairobi for the Safari Sevens.
“We are planning for the future, so we have two split squad into two. Because it’s an Olympic year we have to plan wisely, we don’t want all the players to play in all rounds,” Dazel told Capital Sport.
The tactician added; “It’s the first time in a long time that we are having two tournaments before the Dubai Sevens. This is good preparation for us and a platform for the new guys to prove themselves before the season starts.”
The South Africans who finished fourth in the just concluded World Sevens Series are in a tricky Pool A where they will take on Kenya’s second-string side the Morans, Uganda and Burundi.
South Africa captain Siviwe ‘Shakes’ Soyizwapi i in a past event at HSBC Sevens World Series. Photo/COURTESY
Captain Soyizwapi, unlike Afrika, will be playing in an African tournament outside his home country for the first time ever.
“It will be a good opportunity for us especially before the World Series starts to prepare and gauge the fitness of players. Individually it will also be an opportunity to see how we much we have grown from pre-season. It’s a good tournament with great competition,” Soyizwapi stated.
“We expect a physical game. Every time we play Kenya is never a rival but a battle, so we are looking forward to that especially in the area they like focusing on, the break down. The group is really competitive, and we will look at implementing rugby practice and see where we are,” the skipper underscored.
The South African team is based at the dusitD2 Hotel and was hosted to a breakfast treat by General Manager Michael Metaxas.
Carl “Flash” Tundo and Tim Jessop raise the dust in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10. Photo/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – As the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) enters the sixth round at the KCB Guru Nanak Rally, focus will be on three drivers.
They are leader Baldev Chager, defending Guru and series champion Carl “Flash” Tundo and the reigning three times African Champion Manvir Baryan.
Although it’s too early to predict the course of the Championship tussle, it’s evident that will take shape this weekend.
Whatever is up the sleeves of the rally crews will be known when the prestigious event revs off outside KCB Kitengela Branch.
Chager has a 27-point advantage over Tundo and 33 over Manvir who skipped the season opener in Nakuru.
But Chager hopes to keep notching podium finishes in his bid to snatch the coveted Championship title from Flash.
(R-L) KCB Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Kilifi winner Manvir Baryan, KCB Regional Business Manager Coast Region Jane Isiaho and Manvir’s navigator Drew Sturrock during the fourth round of KCB KNRC prize Giving ceremony at Mombasa Cement, Kilifi
The fight between Manvir’s Skoda Fabia R5 against the R4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10s of Flash Tundo and Chager is sure to also offer spectators some exhilarating displays of motoring artistry.
The new VW Polo R5 of Onkar Singh Rai is also expected to offer stiff challenge to the EVOs.
The Skoda Fabia R5 of Manvir has no doubt been the fastest machine on the 8-leg series save for last month’s Nanyuki Rally where Tundo’s Evo10 ruled the Loldaigas.
R5 drivers have savoured speed on short and flatout stretches while the long endurance stretches appear to have favoured the EVOs.
Tundo said in an interview that he is hoping for a repeat of the gruelling Loldaigas where he swept the ground with all his opponents.
“There can only be one strategy at the moment with everyone driving so well and to try keep up with the R5s. Flat-out is the word for now-I hope I can repeat Nanyuki Rally,” Flash Tundo.
Chager who is the lead driver at Kabras Sugar is upbeat about his weekend outing and this is what he had to say:
“Team Kabras is well busy at the moment getting cars ready for the upcoming event. Evos are more or less done and await tests.
Polo was a little delayed but well under way after the hill climb event.
Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo
Guru Nanak being Guru Nanak all the Sikh participants want to do well so everyone will be in top form to get the best results.
Championship is still wide open but after GN it will start to take final shape as the season comes to a close. Cars all good as mentioned under good care of our technical guys.”
Onkar is yet to finish with his new car in the last two outings in Mombasa and Nanyuki. He is determined to upset the applecart and has a new navigator for this weekend’s KCB Guru Nanak Rally.
The three-times reigning Nakuru Rally winner will have his pace-notes called by Stuart Loudon who is a Scottish co-driver competing at the highest level of the sport.
Stuart completed another successful year co-driving in various rallies across the globe. From the cold and icy stages of Rallye Monte Carlo to the sun-drenched roads of Rally Barbados.
Betika’s Commercial Head, John Mbatiah reiterated that the company is committed to supporting local sports, arts and culture. Photo/Betika
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – Betting firm Betika has unveiled the biggest initiative dubbed “BetikaNaCommunity” that will see the company spend millions of shillings towards supporting community development and helping the youth nurture talent by growing local sports.
The aim is to tap talent both at grassroot and mainstream levels, as well as cultural and social community activities.
Speaking at a press briefing held by the company, Betika’s Commercial Head, John Mbatiah reiterated that the company is committed to supporting local sports, arts and culture.
This will be done through local sports and clubs sponsorships, individual sports & talent development, growth and diversification into new sports, renovation of community centres and sports grounds to give the youth access to functioning venues.
This will include lighting to allow late night access and utilization, distributing kits, balls, nets to budding and existing teams.
Some of the grassroot football teams taking part in a tournament sponsored by Betika. Photo/Betika
The firm will also give trials and access to professional training to upcoming talents in collaboration with 2009 Kenyan Premier League champions Sofapaka as well as support the fusion of local artists through performances in the sporting activities.
To help achieve this Betika will sponsor local community football tournaments across the country reaching all 47 counties.
“It gives us great joy to see our sports people getting a chance to showcase and grow their skills. Betika is the community and the community is Betika!,” Mbatiah, who vowed to work with the national government, local authorities and sports personalities to help realize this dream, said.
Betika has sponsored grassroot football teams. Photo/BETIKA
This is not the first time the company has had such initiatives spread across the country as they have in the recent past invested heavily in grassroot football tournaments in various parts of the country.
The sponsorships have spread across various sports including football, cricket, golf, motocross, rallying, the Rhino Charge and many more.
To further support these initiatives, Betika recently boosted the sponsorship for the upcoming Safari 7s that will be held between 18th-20th October at the RFUEA Grounds, as well as for the motocross racing at Masinga TT that will take place on 19th and 20th October. They also renewed the sponsorship deal with Sofapaka.
Betika has also pumped money to golf and cricket. Photo/Betika
In support of responsible betting Betika also unveiled a free counselling service for gamblers with betting addiction where they can call toll free to get counselling services and advice.
This is aimed at helping customers to bet responsibly as well as to avoid or overcome addiction. Betika will continue to invest in further Safe Gambling initiatives.
The company’s renewed efforts at supporting sports and the youth in general have been welcomed by many with exciting times seemingly ahead for sports lovers in the country.
Happier days. Sony Sugar players celebrate after scoring during a past Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO/Sony Sugar/Twitter
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct – Sugar belt sides Sony and Chemelil are on the brink of dishing out walk overs for this weekend’s Kenyan Premier League (KPL) matches due to the current financial crisis witnessed in the country’s top-flight league.
While Sony have categorically stated they will not travel to Machakos for their early Saturday morning tie against Tusker FC, Chemelil are yet to leave their base in Awasi for Mombasa where they will take on Bandari FC in a 3pm kick off.
“We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend everything is okay. We just simply requested for our fixtures to be shelved as we look for a sponsor but they could not listen to us. The truth of the matter is that we don’t have money and we will not travel to Machakos,” Sony chairman Gabriel Otieno told Capital Sport.
Sony players have also not trained since handing AFC Leopards walkover a fortnight ago with head coach James Nandwa still in Nairobi.
“We cannot train and we are unable to honor matches. We will not be able to play until we are financially able to do so. At this moment, we don’t have money,” the chairman further stated.
Sony gave AFC Leopards a walkover in Awendo two weeks ago and it is highly doubtful they will honor their away trip to face Tusker in Machakos.
-Relegated to NSL
According to KPL rules, if they hand out a third walkover, they will be relegated to the National Super League, with Otiende stating they are not afraid of the axe.
Chemelil meanwhile are yet to leave their base in Awasi, as at 4pm Friday evening to Mombasa, a distance of 784km which might take up to a maximum of 12-13 hours.
“The company boss was not around and has just returned. We are waiting to hear whether or not finances will be availed for us to travelled. Everyone is on standby if all goes well we might travel at night,” a source at the club told Capital Sport.
If Chemelil travel on Friday night, they will arrive in Mombasa on Saturday morning and will have only a few hours to rest and recover from the long journey before facing the on-form Bandari.
Chemelil sit bottom of the KPL having lost all their opening four games, shipping in 13 goals and scoring only once. Sony on the other end are 16th having won only once, lost thrice and handed out one walkover.
Wazito FC head coach Boniface Ambani on the bench during a past Kenyan Premier League match. PHOTO/Wazito FC/Twitter
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – Wazito FC head coach Fred Ambani says he is under no pressure at the club despite earning only one win in their first five games of the season, this coming after massive investment and huge expectations.
Wazito who gained promotion back to top tier this season have won once, drawn thrice and lost once in their opening five games of the campaign to sit 12th in the standings with six points.
“There is no pressure whatsoever because if you look at how we have been progressing, there has been improvement game by game. We started the season with so many new players and it takes time to get a good understanding between the players,” Ambani told Capital Sport.
Ambani is confident the side will find its footing as the season progresses and has warned anyone writing them off just yet.
They take their hunt for a second win of the season to Machakos on Saturday where they take on Kakamega Homboyz in a 2pm kick off.
“It will be a very tough game because Homeboyz have been getting good results and are also a good outfit. We are prepared for a tough game and everyone is looking forward to fight for the three points more so because we are playing at home,” Ambani noted.
Wazito FC striker Joe Waithira kicks the ball during a training session at the GEMS Cambridge School. PHOTO/Wazito FC/Twitter
Ahead of the tie, Wazito have been boosted with the return to fitness of strikers Amos Asembeka and Joe Waithira a welcome boost especially to boost their attack line that has averaged one goal per game.
Meanwhile, in the late kickoff, on-form AFC Leopards will take on Western Stima seeking to keep their winning formula running.
Leopards sit second in the standings with 10 points off five games, just two short of bitter rivals Gor Mahia who have played a game less.
Leopards have bounced back from their opening day 1-0 loss to Homeboyz to pick up wins against Wazito and Chemelil Sugar.
They come up against a Stima side that is yet to taste defeat this season having won two and drawn three of their opening five games of the campaign.
Ties between these two sides have been close. Over the last 20 meetings, AFC have won seven of them, Stima have won eight while the remaining five ended in draws.
Last season, AFC picked four points off the powermen, winning the first leg in Machakos 2-1 while the return tie in Kisumu ended in a barren draw.
Elsewhere, 14th placed Nzoia Sugar play host to Sofapaka at the Sudi Stadium in Bingoma seeking their second win of the season. Their only victory this season was a 2-0 success away to newly promoted Kisumu All Stars.
Sofapaka players celebrate Peter Lwassa’s early goal for Sofapaka during their Kenyan Premier League match against Bandari at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on October 6, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Sofapaka are coming into the tie with a confidence boost after their financial status was improved with betting firm Betika announcing an improved sponsorship package.
Batoto ba Mungu who have had a chequered start to the season won their last match 2-1 against Bandari before the international break and are looking to keep the momentum flowing.
“It was very good for us to win that game especially in terms of getting points and also to boost the morale of the players. We know that it will be a tough game against Nzoia because they have a very structured way of play with good speed on the wings, but our focus is on getting the three points,” tactician Divaldo Alves stated.
Sofapaka have seven points from five games and the coach has made it clear that his ambition is to ensure the team remains within striking range of the top sides.
KPL Saturday fixtures:
Tusker FC v Sony Sugar (10am), Wazito v Homeboyz (2pm), AFC Leopards v Western Stima (4pm) – Kenyatta Stadium Machakos, Bandari v Chemelil Sugar – Mbaraki, Kisumu All Stars v Mathare United – Moi Stadium Kisumu, Nzoia Sugar v Sofapaka – Sudi Stadium Bungoma, Ulinzi Stars v KCB – Afraha Stadium Nakuru, Zoo Kericho v Posta Rangers – Kericho Green Stadium.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – The KCB Guru Nanak Rally which is the sixth round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) scheduled for this weekend, has been postponed.
In accordance with National Competition Regulations, Article 66.5 of Safety of the Competing Crews, organisers canceled the 2019 rally citing inclement weather.
“Due to the heavy rains witnessed on and around the rally route, the organiser of the KCB Guru Nanak Rally 2019 has no option but to declare a ‘FORCE MAJEURE’ on the basis of competitor safety and therefore postpone the running of the Rally to a later date as to be allocated by the Motorsport Council of the KMSF,” clerk of the course Raju Chaggar said.
Part of the Guru Nanak Rally Course. Photo/COURTESY
He added in a bulletin from Kenya Motor Sports Federation secretariat: “Road conditions witnessed at 1100 hrs today (18th Oct 2019) are not conducive to the safe running of all the Special Stages.”
Chager said ‘Safety and Medical Intervention vehicles will not be able to traverse the stages due the extremely wet and muddy conditions thus compromising the Events Safety.”
The event was scheduled to start at the KCB Kitengela branch on Sunday and traverse the Stony Athi, SGR and Kifaru stages.
The Guru Nanak Rally is Organised by Sikh Union Nairobi.
Shujaa’s Collins Injera in action against Zambia in Safari 7s. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 – Collins Injera went over twice as Shujaa launched their Safari Sevens campaign with an emphatic 31-0 win over Zambia at the RFUEA Ground on Saturday morning.
Shujaa who last won the title in 2016 showed their early intent with a brilliant display and Injera, playing his first Safari 7s since 2012 literally led from the front.
“It feels great to be back and definitely getting two tries to top it up is awesome. We had a good start and hopefully we can maintain it to the end. There are very good teams at this tournament and we can’t take anyone lightly,” Injera said after the game.
Coach Paul Feeney said; “We had a bit of a jittery start in the first three minutes but we managed to come into it. The first game is always tough but to get it over with a win is always a plus.”
Shujaa’d Mike Okello in action against Zambia at safari 7s. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
From a Zambia scrum, Shujaa turned over possession with Injera running on the blind side and dotting down under the posts.
Daniel Taabu booted home the extras as the home side took a 7-0 lead.
Injera was at it again for Shujaa’s second try when he ran half the length of the pitch after Nelson Oyoo turned over possession.
Taabu once again did the job on the twos as Shujaa went to the break 14-0 up.
Shujaa’s Jacob Ojee is tackled by Zambia player. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Oyoo then added a try in the second half before Bush Mwale went over under the posts, both unconverted.
Mike Okello then finished off the job at the buzzer as Shujaa commanded a good start to the tourney.
In the other group match, South Africa’s Blue Bulls played to a 24-24 draw with Russia Academy.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s second tier team Morans also started their campaign with a win beating Uganda 24-10 while South Africa’s Blitzbokke picked up the biggest win yet of the day with a 61-0 thrashing of Burundi.
Shujaa’s Mike Okello powers forward against Zambia at the Safari 7s. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 19 – Kenya’s core side Shujaa will take on Safari 7s defending champions Samurai in the Main Cup quarter finals on Sunday after they topped their group with a 100pc record, winning all their matches.
Shujaa started off their campaign with an emphatic 31-0 whitewash of Zambia before they thrashed Russia Academy 41-0 before finishing off with a 19-7 victory over Blue Bulls.
This will be the second Main Cup quarter of the day with South Africa’s Blitzboks taking on National Sevens Series overall champions KCB in the first last eight fixture of the day.
The Boks led by Cecil Afrika whitewashed Burundi 61-0 in their opening game before coming from behind to beat Morans 17-12. They finished off their group phase with a slim 19-17 win over Uganda.
Kenya’s second tier side the Morans who finished second in their pool behind South Africa will take on French outfit Seventise while Red Wailers tackle Russia Academy coached by Sevens legend Waisale Serevi in the final quarter final tie of the day.
Morans’ only loss was against The Boks while they won 24-10 against Uganda and a 52-0 annihilation of Burundi.
Meanwhile, Western Province coached by former Kenya 15s tactician Jerome Paarwater will play in the Challenge Trophy where they will face compatriots Blue Bulls.
Neighbors Uganda who won only one match in their group take on Zimbabwe in the first game of the day, Zambia face Russian outfit Zastava while Spain will take on winless Burundi.
Kenya Shujaa players during the Safari Sevens at the RFUEA Grounds on October 19, 2019. PHOTORaymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – Hosts Shujaa will take on World Series core side South Africa in the semi-finals of the Safari Sevens, but Shujaa will be worried with the absence of speedstar Collins Injera who picked up a shoulder injury in their 19-14 win over defending champions Samurai.
Injera fell awkwardly on his shoulder as he tried to break out for a try on the right and he remained on the ground, rolling in pain before being attended by the medics.
His involvement in the afternoon semi is a major doubt as he was wheeled away to the hospital in an ambulance just after the game.
Shujaa were comfortably leading 12-0 but just after Injera got injured, Samurai pulled one back for a 12-7 half time lead.
Collins Injera is ushered into an ambulance and taken to the hospital after picking up an injury during Shujaa’s quarter-final win over Samurai at the Safari Sevens on October 20, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Nelson Oyoo broke the deadlock when he raced clear on the right with Daniel Taabu’s conversion going wide. But, Shujaa made it 12-0 when Amonde bullied his way off the left and raced down under the posts with Taabu adding the twos.
But, with Kenya numerically disadvantaged from Injera’s injury, Samurai pulled one back through Strydom WJ with the extras going in for a 12-7 half time score.
Kenya however got back into comfortable distance when Mike Okello went down under the posts with Taabu adding the compliments for a 19-7 lead.
Samurai drew one back through Richard Mill to make some nervous ending to the game taking it to a five point tie, but after the restart the home boys won the ball and kicked out to ensure the win was reserved.
Earlier, South Africa South Africa beat Kenya’s National Sevens Circuit Champions KCB 31-14 to comfortably sail into the semis.
Skipper Siviwe Soyizwapi dotted down twice for the Boks with Steadman Gans and Visser Impi adding one each. KCB’s tries were dotted down by Samuel Asati and Tony Onyango, both of which were converted.
Kenya Morans skipper Jeff Oluoch offloads the ball under pressure from Seventise Rugby players during the Safari Sevens Main Cup quarters at the RFUEA Grounds on October 20, 2019. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – Skipper Jeff Oluoch led from the front literally as Kenya’s second tier team Kenya Morans will take on Waisale Serevi’s Russia Academy in the Main Cup semi-finals of the Safari Sevens at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday afternoon.
The Morans floored French outfit Seventise 24-7 to book a slot in the last four while the Russia Academy beat Red Wailers 17-5 to also go through.
Oluoch put up a massive shift for the Morans, being at the centre of both attack and defense. He dotted down the first try of the game when he burst out on the right after Kenya won possession at kick off.
Geoffrey Okwatch drove home the second try for the Morans after a powerful ran from the halfway line to dot down under the posts, Ian Mabwa sending the conversion straight between the posts for a 12-0 lead.
Seventise had a small window into the game when a stray pass from Johnstone Olindi was intercepted, Guiborat Michel taking advantage to drive the ball over the chalk with the conversion slicing the posts for a 12-7 halftime score.
But, the Morans started the second half with pace and power, skipper Oluoch breaking away on the right after thumping away his marker and unselfishly offloaded the ball to Okwatch who dotted down under the posts, Mabwa coming clean with the comversion.
Vincent Onyala then wrapped the game up with a try under the posts after running across the pitch after a beautiful offload from Oluoch.
Kenya Morans’ Johnstone Olindi in action against South Africa during their Safari Sevens group match at the RFUEA Grounds on October 19, 2019. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – The dream of an all Kenyan final at the Safari 7s went up in smoke after Shujaa fell to a 19-5 defeat to South Africa in the Main Cup semis while second string side Morans booked a rematch against the Blitzbokke with a 24-10 victory over Russia Academy on Sunday afternoon.
Shujaa struggled in the absence of dependable great Collins Injera whose tournament ended after injuring his shoulder in the quarter final win over Samurai.
Morans will have a rematch against the South Africans whom they faced in the group stage matches, losing 19-12.
The second tier side once again showed their hunger and determination to get into the core team with a sublime performance against the Russians.
They took in a 19-5 halftime lead with tries from skipper Jeff Oluoch, Johnstone Olindi and Vincent Onyala. Olindi broke the deadlock with a try under the posts when he started a set piece quick then shuffled his legs to dance away from his markers and dot down.
Oluoch then added another try when he intercepted a stray pass to cross over.
A turnover inside Kenya’s 22 saw Olindi dot down Morans third try of the game with the lanky centre steaming across the full length of the pitch to dot down while Olindi converted to seal a 19-0 lead for the side.
Ovchinnikov Ivan then reduced the deficit for the Russians after Kenya lost possession, but that did little to slow down the Morans, with Oluoch dotting down his second try of the game.
Oluoch then showed his pace and strength bumping away from his markers on the left before running down the wing and extending Morans lead.
Ovchinnikov added another for the Russians, but the damage was long gone.
Earlier, Shujaa clearly struggled in Injera’s absence and a series of stray passes and ball handling messes saw the South Africans carry the day.
Skipper Siviwe Soyizwapi crossed over twice with Selvyn Davids adding the third, two of those tries converted by Cecil Afrika. Skipper Andrew Amonde dotted down Shujaa’s only try of the game.
Shujaa will now take on Russia Academy for an opportunity to battle for the bronze medal.
Kenya Morans players celebrate after receiving the 2019 Safari Sevens title from Kenya Rugby Union chairman Oduor Gangla at the RFUEA Grounds on October 20, 2019. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – The Kenya Morans put up a fantastic first half performance to shock World Sevens Series core side South Africa 19-14 and clinch the 2019 Safari 7s title at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday evening.
Geoffrey Okwach, skipper Jeff Oluoch and Alvin ‘Buffa’ Otieno went over the chalk each once as the Morans made up for the loss of their seniors with a well worked performance.
South Africa dotted two tries in the second half through Luyando Mngandi and Hufke Cameron, but it was little too late as the Morans already had the job done.
From the onset, the Morans showed they were not in to play and were determined to avenge for the 19-12 loss they suffered to the Blitzbokke in the group stage matches.
Okwach greased through two tackles from Stedman Gans and Selvyn Davis after a little pretty offload from Jeff Oluoch to dot down while Johnstone Olindi booted home the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Some brilliant display of defense ensured Morans stayed in the lead. Gans picked up a loose pass in the middle of the pack and broke down headed to the try box, but Okwatch showed superb pace to track him and pull him down at the edge of the 22.
Oluoch picked up the turnover and tried to put on the after burners, but the slippery nature of the pitch saw him slip and fall with South Africa surviving the gun pointed back at them.
Kenya Morans players join Alvin Otieno in celebrating the third try during the finals of the Safari Sevens at the RFUEA Grounds on October 20, 2019. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
The skipper then ensured Kenya kept their lead when he crossed over after Morans turned over possession, the scores going in at 12-0.
The raging bull Alvin Otieno then made it 17-0 with a brilliant try, bumping away from his chaser before heading for the centre posts with Olindi adding the twos for a 19-0 half time lead.
South Africa came back after the breather determined for a turnover, but Morans defended well and delayed their intended comeback though Gans and Selvyn both had converted tries.
Shujaa who lost to South Africa in the Cup semis meanwhile beat Russia Academy 19-5 to clinch the bronze.
Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba crosses the finish line to clinch the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon title
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Oct 20 – Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba raced away from the leading pack in the final kilometer of the race to clinch the Amsterdam Marathon title on Sunday after clocking 2hrs, 5mins and 9secs.
Kipchumba as well as compatriot Elisha Rotich and Ethiopia’s Solomon Deksisa and debutant Betesfa Getahun took the initiative after going through 35km in 1:44:07.
Just before entering Vondelpark at 39km, Rotich and Deksisa accelerated and built up a small lead. Both pursuers, however, came back under the leadership of Kipchumba.
After leaving the park at the 41-kilometre point, Kipchumba ran away from the others to finally finish in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium in 2:05:09.
Deksisa was second in 2:05:16, just holding off Rotich (2:05:18). Getahun also finished well below 2:06 on his debut with 2:05:28.
Kipchumba improved his personal record of 2:06.56 from April this year and was happy:
“We had a very strong group and the pace at the entrance to Vondelpark was very fast,” said Kipchumba, who improved on his PB of 2:06:56. “I started to close the gap with the two front runners. I was hoping for a time of 2:05:50, so I’m very satisfied with 2:05:09.”
The Dutch top runner, Abdi Nageeye, felt some pain in his right hamstring from 10km onwards and had to settle for ninth place in 2:07:39.
“My condition is fine, but mentally this was very tough,” he said. “Nevertheless, I am happy with my second-fastest time ever. Now I have to recover well and start planning smartly for the Olympic Games.”
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Degitu Azmeraw smashed the women’s course record with 2:19:26, the second-fastest debut in history for the distance.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 21 – If you build it, the fitness will come. At a time of crisis, that’s what Conseslus Kipruto had to tell himself.
It was late April, 2019, and the reigning world and Olympic steeplechase champion was in the doldrums, nursing a stress reaction in the talus bone in his foot. Due to its location and lack of blood flow, it’s an injury that is fiendishly difficult to heal.
There were just five months until the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, and the 24-year-old was told by his doctor he would need to take two-and-a-half months off running.
“I had a lot of stress, a lot of worries,” says Kipruto. “What am I going to do until I make it to Worlds? What will I do when I’m in recovery?”
His solution was testament to a champion’s ability to innovate. He built a pool in his back yard.
Not a large pool, or a particularly attractive pool: it was five metres long, about two metres wide, and wedged into a small space at the back of his residence in Mosoriot, filled with water that was as cloudy as apple juice.
His training partners lent a hand, all of them keen to see Kipruto arrive in Doha ready to defend his title.
Some concessions had to be made. He filled the pool with water normally used for growing vegetables, for sanitation and for supplying the cows that were kept on the local land. Some of those close to him watched the project unfold and thought he was crazy, but Kipruto never lost sight of the end goal.
“I said, ‘let me build this pool, let me do [underwater] running and that can make my legs feel strong when I start training. It will not be like beginning’.”
Conseslus Kipruto jumps a water hurdle during the 3,000m steeplechase final at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Doha. PHOTO/IAAF
And in he would get, three or four times a day, looping a donut-shaped ring around himself to stay afloat and aqua-jogging back and forth, back and forth, hour after monotonous hour.
“I put all my effort for the day into the pool,” he says. “When I put it all together, I was doing like five hours a day.”
He started running on dry land again in the middle of June and swiftly felt the payoff. “I texted Michel [Boeting, Kipruto’s manager] when I did the first runs and told him, ‘that swimming pool helped me a lot’.”
As he began to rebuild his mileage, the only race he had to concern himself with was the one against the clock. The Paris Diamond League meeting in late August was circled for his comeback, and in training Kipruto focused primarily on endurance.
That race gave him a harsh lesson in the distance he needed to bridge, Kipruto coming home fifth in 8:13.75 as Soufiane El Bakkali took victory in 8:06.64. Two days later he tried again at the African Games in Rabat, but with his legs yet to recover from Paris he ended up stepping off the track.
“When I ran in Paris I said to my coach, ‘I don’t have the power’. He told me to relax, that I had to cancel the last Diamond League and I said, ‘coach, I have to do it’.”
Kipruto wanted one more shot at the world’s best to know where he stood, but in Brussels he again found himself fading out of contention on the final lap, finishing seventh in 8:14.54 with Getnet Wale winning in 8:06.92. He had eight seconds to find on the world’s best, and just four weeks to find them.
Conseslus Kipruto warms up before the 3,000m steeplechase final during teh national trials for the World Championships at the Nyayo National Stadium on September 13, 2019. PHOTO/Courtesy
Kipruto returned to Kenya a little despondent but it was then that his coach, Japter Keter, changed the focus of his training.
“We did speed work like four times a week for two weeks,” says Kipruto, who soon felt the old pop return to his legs. “After those two weeks he wished me good luck and said, ‘Conseslus, you’re going to win the title’.”
He heard all the talk in the Kenyan media on the build-up, the concern about who would step up for the proud steeplechasing nation with the defending champion lacking form. “After the injuries, people started to say [Kenya] had to depend on [Benjamin] Kigen or other young Kenyans. For me, I didn’t want to put myself in that pressure. I told people, I’m not going to bring that pressure because if you do that you’re going to lose your mind.”
His solution? “I keep training – that’s how to handle things.”
In his semi-final, Kipruto coasted to the front and the diminutive distance runner looked every inch the alpha male of his event, waving at teammate Kigen to slow down on the final lap. “I was telling him: ‘don’t use the energy, we are going to use it in the finals’.”
He didn’t want – or expect – a fast race in the final, Kipruto confident in his speed but not in his ability if the pace was hard from the gun. “I thought we were going to win in 8:08, but I thought: ‘what about these Ethiopians?’ If they want to push to run 8:05 I say, ‘I’m going to lose’.”
Conseslus Kipruto celebrates after winning the 3,000m steeplechase at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Doha. PHOTO/IAAF
But when that’s what unfolded in the race, Kipruto was struck by another thought. “I said: ‘no, I’m the defending champion, I want to take the victory. This is a Kenyan event’. I said, ‘I’m going to retain my title, to take this victory to Kenya’.”
The Ethiopians teamed up to keep the pace more than honest, Chala Beyo taking out the first two laps before Wale took over and reached 1000m in 2:39.55. Their teenage teammate Lamecha Girma led through 2000m in 5:22.95, and at that point Kipruto was sitting in, trying his best to focus on the task as he heard his name roared countless times from the hordes of Kenyans in the stands.
“It was an amazing crowd,” he says. “I was like, ‘I’m in a competition, I should focus on this,’ but that made me fight, especially in the last 50 metres.”
And how he had to fight.
Going down the back straight for the final time, Kipruto was tracking chief rival El Bakkali, confident he had enough in his legs to have him covered, but then sling-shotting from behind came Girma. Kipruto stayed calm as he saw the Ethiopian go for home and enacted Plan B.
“I planned to jump the last barrier with him but I made some mistakes,” he says. “I was a couple of metres [behind] so I thought I was going to lose it. I didn’t want to be a former world champion so I had a great and strong mentality in my head and in my heart. I said, ‘I want to take the victory’.”
What unfolded was the most thrilling – and closest – finish of the championships, Kipruto reeling in Girma with every stride and the pair crossing it virtually in unison. Then there was a pause, the most painful 28 seconds of his life, as he waited for the verdict.
“I was praying: let it be me,” Kipruto recalls. “Let the first name be Conseslus.”
Conseslus Kipruto dips beyond Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma to win the 3,000m steeplechase at the IAAF World Athletics Championship in Doha. PHOTO/IAAF
A huge cheer erupted when the screen delivered the news. Kipruto: 8:01.35. Girma: 8:01.36.
He immediately climbed on the barrier after the finish, then sat back on it and looked up into the stands, looping his fingers in a circle around his eye – a message to those who doubted him.
“I was telling the people you have seen I’m still there,” he says. “I was telling the people of the world I was there to save my title.”
In his all-conquering career, there had been wins of sheer dominance: his Olympic title in 2016, his first world title in 2017. There had been wins despite wretched luck: his 2018 Diamond League final win in Zurich, where he had run down El Bakkali to win by 0.04 despite losing a shoe early in the race.
Never had he won, however, amid such outrageous odds. Three months earlier he couldn’t walk, but here he was, back on top, running and jumping and sprinting his way into the annals of the all-time steeplechasing greats.
A journey that began underwater had finished on top of the world.
“I win a lot of gold medals,” says Kipruto. “But this one was something special.”
