He was an African orphan: Who is Kipchoge Keino?

Nandi, Northwest Kenya… Contrary to the stereotypical African landscape, this is a place full of greenery. It is a region approximately 2000 meters above sea level and covered with agricultural areas thanks to its pleasant climate. But there is another aspect that this region is famous for the world-famous middle and long-distance runners it produces.

A significant portion of the Kenyan athletes who have left their mark on the tracks in the last fifty years were trained in Nandi. However, there is one among them who is responsible for everything. He is the one who steps out of Nandi and challenges the best in the world. He is the one who added new dreams to the horizons of Kenyan children.

Who is he? Kipchoge Keino…

Need to run

“When I started primary school, I would run six or seven kilometers with my bare feet every morning to go to school. Then I would come home for lunch and go back to school. In the evening, I would return home by running the same distance again. “I did this every day until I finished school.”

Running was what Kipchoge knew best. Although he acquired various knowledge throughout his school life, his most valuable life knowledge was that you had to "run". Because, as a child who lost his parents at a young age, he had to leave many tragedies behind in order to continue his life. However, this did not mean that he had to leave the land where he was born and raised. Because the compassion these lands showed him would enable him to develop and become a great athlete.

Kipchoge Hezekiah Keino (born 17 January 1940) is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete. He was the chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee (KOC) until 29 September 2017. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Keino was among the first in a long line of successful middle and long-distance runners to come from the country and has helped and inspired many of his fellow countrymen and women to become the athletics force that they are today. In 2000, he became an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2012, he was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the IAAF Hall of Fame.

After his school years ended, Kipchoge joined the police force to make a living. At that time, in the late fifties and early sixties, Kenya was still a British colony. The British, who had a say in the administration, were organizing regional athletics competitions in Kenya. At that time, British coach John Velzian was appointed as the head of the Police Academy's athletics team. During one of the competitions, a long-legged young man caught Velzian's eye.

“We gathered on a grass track at a university. It was in the afternoon. And this young man came. The first thing that struck me was that his legs were so long. "His body consisted almost entirely of legs."

Kipchoge's physical features stood out. On the other hand, working in a high-altitude region also gave him a natural advantage. Kipchoge was beginning to generate interest. Now it was time to go on stage.

Born in 1940, Kenyan athlete Kipchoge Keino won the gold medal by running 1,500 meters with a time of 34.9 at the Mexico Olympics held in 1968. Keino also won a bronze medal at the same Olympics. Keino, who won a gold and a silver medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, this time won the gold medal in the 3,000-meter hurdles. Keino completed the 3,000-meter hurdles with a time of 23.6.

Target Olympic

We cannot say that Kipchoge, who appeared at the international level for the first time in the Commonwealth Games where British nations competed in 1962, was very successful in this attempt. His 11th-place finish in the three-mile race wasn't looking so good. However, Kipchoge had high faith in his potential. So he did not give up. He would also try his luck at the Olympics.

The Olympic Games held in Tokyo in 1964 were nothing more than a great experience for him. However, a year later things would start to change. He made his big breakthrough with the world records he broke in the 1500 and 5000 meters in the African Games. He would then win two more gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. Now his goal was the 1968 Mexico City Games.

Kipchoge had only won in mind when he came to the games. However, he also had a health problem that did not leave him alone and even bent him over: Gallbladder stones. Kipchoge, who competed with great pains from the first day of the games, would receive the first big blow from these stones in the 10-thousand-meter race. The pain Kipchoge felt during the race would reach such a level that he would eventually faint and be disqualified.

Kipchoge was also at the starting line of the 5000-meter race, which was run two days later, despite the doctors' absolute disapproval. He ran the race as fast as he could but came second by a small margin. This was his first Olympic medal. Kipchoge, who had pains after this race, was told by his coach that he should not race anymore. Because this disease could even cause death. He had already achieved the medal he desired.

However, this was not enough for Kipchoge. He made a deal with his coach and doctor. He would go to his room and sleep, and if he felt well when he woke up, he would start the next 1500-meter race. That's it... Even though this agreement seemed one-sided, the parties would abide by the rules. Warm-up training was taking place shortly before the race. There was no Kipchoge in sight. Coaches and Kenyan officials began to think he wouldn't show up. Even if he came, it wouldn't make sense for him to take to the track without warming up. However, what they did not know was that Kipchoge was doing his warm-up training in a completely different place.

Kipchoge jumped out of bed an hour into the race. He took his materials, left the hotel where he was staying, and jumped on the bus to the Olympic stadium. There was very little time left and it seemed very difficult to catch up. However, he wanted to crown all this work and effort with a gold medal. Neither the difficulties he experienced nor the gallstones could deter him from this dream. Nothing could stand in the way of this desire. Except for traffic... Yes, the bus that Kipchoge was on was stuck in the famous Mexico City traffic four or five kilometers from the stadium. But he had no intention of waiting. He jumped off the bus and continued doing what he knew best. He started running towards his dreams.

Kipchoge was at the starting line and feeling fine. As if there was a wind blowing from Eldoret behind him, he started running like he was going to school on the Nandi plateaus. He crossed the grassy hills and moved away from his opponents as if he were lost in the forests. As he crossed the finish line, his closest rival was 20 meters behind him. Kipchoge Keino had achieved his desires.

Four years later, Kipchoge won another gold and a silver medal at the 1972 Games. After leaving the tracks, he used all his fame to expand the horizons of orphan children. After all, he was also an orphan in Africa. He worked, toiled, and beat the best in the world.