World athletics champion Joshua Cheptegei has praised Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, calling him a job mannequin and “the daddy of the marathon.”
Kipchoge, alongside different outstanding Kenyan athletes, attended the seventh Youngsters Christmas Run held on the Boma Grounds in Kapchorwa, an occasion celebrating solidarity and the athletes’ shared tribal heritage.
The Run attracted a whole bunch of youngsters from Kween, Bukwo, and Kapchorwa districts, that includes competitions in three age classes: below 12, below 14, and below 16, for each girls and boys. Kapchorwa’s predominant street was remodeled right into a race observe, with enthusiastic crowds cheering on the younger athletes.
Past the races, the occasion highlighted the unifying energy of sports activities, transcending borders and honoring the cultural heritage of the Kalenjin tribe.
Sebei cultural leader-elect Peter Swilkay Kissa praised Cheptegei’s initiative, noting its alignment with the federal government’s multi-billion-shilling Teriet high-altitude coaching heart.
“This occasion underscores the potential of cultivating a brand new era of long-distance runners,” Kissa remarked.
Kapchorwa Girl MP Phillis Chemutai lauded the occasion as a groundbreaking platform for nurturing younger expertise.
“We are actually figuring out ourselves by way of operating as an alternative of FGM,” she mentioned, highlighting the initiative’s cultural shift.
Cheptegei emphasised the significance of making a legacy for future generations.
“I noticed that the operating tradition was fading in our neighborhood. We wanted to encourage the younger era to hold ahead the legacy of champions,” he mentioned.
Cheptegei credited Kipchoge as a big affect on his profession, reflecting on the mentorship he obtained in 2015.
“It is an honor to have him right here to encourage the following era of athletes,” he added.
Eliud Kipchoge recommended Uganda’s funding within the Teriet high-altitude coaching heart, calling it an important useful resource for regional athletes.
Benjamin Njia, second Vice President of the Uganda Athletics Federation, famous that the initiative is already yielding outcomes, with some contributors excelling within the current world junior championships in Lima.
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The occasion additionally served as a platform to deal with social points resembling youngster marriage and the empowerment of women within the area.
Kapchorwa Resident District Commissioner Deborah Mweigwa Mugerwa reaffirmed the federal government’s help for regional expertise growth, pointing to the Shs29 billion funding within the high-altitude coaching centre
The seventh Youngsters Christmas Run was a convincing success, fostering sportsmanship, neighborhood unity, and expertise growth within the Sebei area.
