Neighbours, family members celebrate Kipruto’s success

Amos Kipruto

Celebrating Kipruto’s win: Eldoret residents in Uasin Gishu County during celebration after Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won the London Marathon, as they had a London experience, at a viewerthon organised by Uasin Gishu Government and Nation Media Group viewed on the county’s screen on Uganda Highway-Iten road junction on October 02, 2022. Joyciline Jepkosgey finished second in the women’s category.

Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • In Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, fans followed the action live on the giant TV screen dubbed “Mandago big screen” located on the junction of between Uganda Road and Iten Road in the heart of the town.
  • Nation Media Group partnered with Uasin Gishu County government and organized a viewing session where Sports Managing Editor Elias Makori and governor Jonathan Bii were in attendance.

It was song and dance at Amos Kipruto’s home in Kabongwa village in Nandi County when he crossed the line to win the London Marathon race where he was the only Kenyan in the men’s elite field Sunday.

The family and team mates of Kipruto have termed his win in the race as a pleasant surprise and they didn’t expect such a calculative move.

Neighbours and fans celebrated him at his home saying that he is an inspiration to the upcoming generation and he has motivated the other athletes in the remaining part of the season.

At his home, the family sat in a pensive mood seeing how the race was unfolding and joy and laughter could be seen as Kipruto surged forward with none of his Ethiopian rivals reacting.

According to his wife Janeth Samoei, they talked early in the morning over the phone and she encouraged him to work hard and try his best despite being a lone ranger in the race.

“I’m so glad my husband has bagged victory in London Marathon. He was in good shape and we really gave him good support when he was preparing for the race and when we talked in the morning he was calm with high spirits,” said Samoei, who was accompanied by her children Joy Jepkosgei and Joyleen Jepkoech, who are twins and two-year-old Jayson Kiplagat.

 Mary Keitany

Three-time London Marathon champion Mary Keitany (right) and Nation Media Group’s Sports Editor Elias Makori follow the London Marathon at the viewerthon organised by Uasin Gishu County Government and Nation Media Group on October 02, 2022 in Eldoret. Keitany will be part of NTV's commentary team during this year's London Marathon. 


Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group

She added that she has been taking care of the family as her husband goes for training not far from their home from Sunday evening to Saturday morning every week and she is happy that the training he did for the last four months has yielded fruits.

And as the race ended in London, neighbours started streaming into his compound and started singing and dancing thanking God for what he had done in the village by brining victory home.

At the 2-Running Athletics Club training camp in Kapsabet, his training mates termed his win as a motivation to most of them who have races in the near future and it was joy and dance as he crossed the line as a winner.

Amos Kipruto

Celebrating Kipruto’s win: Eldoret residents in Uasin Gishu County celebrate after Kenya's Amos Kipruto won the London Marathon n October 02, 2022. Joyciline Jepkosgey finished second in the women’s category.
 

Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group

According to Hamburg Marathon champion Cyprian Kotut whom they have been training together, he said Kipruto deserved to win because he prepared well for the race.

“We are happy for Kipruto’s win because he had trained well and he ran a calculative race which was competitive. It was not easy for him as the only Kenyan in the race and that has really motivated me because I will be competing in Amsterdam Marathon next weekend,” said Kotut, younger brother of former London Marathon champion Martin Lel.

In Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, fans followed the action live on the giant TV screen dubbed “Mandago big screen” located on the junction of between Uganda Road and Iten Road in the heart of the town.

Nation Media Group partnered with Uasin Gishu County government and organized a viewing session where Sports Managing Editor Elias Makori and governor Jonathan Bii were in attendance.

Mary Keitany, the marathon queen who won in London three times, said that Kenya has good athletes and she congratulated the winners adding that Kipruto did well as a lone ranger in the race.

The governor said that he wants to fast track the completion of Kipchoge Keino Stadium which is being renovated by the national government which has been under construction since 2017.

“We want to support athletes in this regions and involve young upcoming youths and prepare them to take over from the elite who are retiring soon.

“The two stadiums 64 Stadium which is being renovated by the county government and Kipchoge Keino Stadium which is being renovated by the national government should be completed fast to enable the athletes to train more,” said the governor.

He said that other sports will also be included in the region singling out the volleyball national coach Paul Bitok who hails from the region saying that there is need to identify good volleyball players and support them.