Sleepy Kuresoi: the home of World Under-20 beaters

Kuresoi South was brought to a standstill last Wednesday when the four athletes who participated in the World Under-20 Athletics Championships held in Kasarani were being received by their parents, families, villagers, teachers and schoolmates back home.

Among them was Benson Kiplagat, who won the gold medal in the men’s 5000m, a title he got after finishing in a time of 13:20.37, winning the first medal for the country in the championship.

Others were Maureen Cherotich, who finished fourth in the 5000m race, Daniel Kinyanjui, who took the sixth position in the 3000m race and Bernard Yegon who emerged position seven in the 3,000m race.

At only 18, Kiplagat, who hails from Trans Mara, Emurua Dikir Sub County in Narok County, has been in the headlines for his stellar performances.

Being the first born in a family of five children, he says the win came as a surprise to him and his family as the race was very competitive.

His toughest training commenced when he was picked to be among the 43 athletes to represent Kenya in the Under 20 championship at Kasarani.

On Thursday evening August 19, he handed Kenya its first gold at the world junior event when he crushed Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku in the last 200m in the men’s final sending the country into celebrations.

His parents, Mr Joseph Koech and Ms Betty Koech however never got a chance to witness their son making history at the Kasarani stadium as they were busy in their farm.

They were only informed by the neighbors upon their return in the evening that Kiplagat was seen on television running and eventually winning the gold medal.

“My mother operates a hotel back at home while my father is a farmer. I called them that evening and informed them of my greatest achievements and they were happy for me despite failing to watch me, but they promised me next time they will,” said Kiplagat. 

“Life is hard back at home, they have no time to sit and watch TV instead they use that time to look for money to help my siblings back at home and I hope and believe one day I will change their lives and that of my siblings as they have really struggled to raise us,” he added.

The form two student at the Keringet Boys Secondary School recalled his athletics journey which started while only in class five at the Emurua Dikir Primary School.

He remembers being amongst the young athletes who participated in race competitions organised by the school and mostly emerged the winner.

In 2016 he moved to Keringet estate Primary School in search of other training mates and that is where he began running 3000m and 5000m races.

“I was young boy at that time and the fact that I could compete with big boys in the school and win motivated me a lot and I knew one day I will take my talent to the next level but I didn’t have an idea how,” said the jovial athlete, who draws aspiration from Eliud Kipchoge.

“I had to shift to another school far from home while in class seven in search of other athletes who we could train together with. I was the only one who was so much interested in running, others did it for fun, the climate here is favorable for training as it is high altitude,” he added.

Born in June 17, 2003 in a small village of Kamasiator, he remembers running barefoot during his own training as his parents could not afford to buy him the required training gear.

He recalled other children laughing at him when he could fall down sustaining minor injuries during his individual morning runs, but his endurance is now paying. 

Kiplagat participated in the National Cross Country Championships which were held at the Ngong Racecourse in February, 2020 emerging position two.

He was to head to Togo for the Africa Cross Country Championships, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Kiplangat, who is coached by Patrick Sang and Willy Langat, mostly trains at the Kelite Ogilgey Athletics camp which was founded in 2019 in Keringet.

"During school holidays I normally train in Kaptagat Global Sports training camp but now that I am in school, I just train here under coach Langat to avoid missing my classes," he revealed.

Kiplagat said he is focused on the World Cross Country, where is targeting to win gold and the under-20 Championship where he will be defending his title in Colombia next year.

“I'm back to training no resting because I know it won’t be easy next year, everybody went back promising themselves that they will bag the gold so I have to really work hard to defend my title, but with the help of my coach I will manage. This time round I will make sure my parents get to watch me. So far so good, but I will try to balance my studies and athletics,” said Kiplagat. 

Daniel Kinyanjui says he was expecting to win a medal, but that never came to pass after their races were rescheduled to an earlier date they were not prepared for.

He said he was supposed to run on August 25, but it was rescheduled to August 18.

The 16-year-old says his mother, Ms Susan Muthoni and his four other siblings have been his long time inspiration, who always motivate him to perform well and never lose hope. 

“They were glued to the television the whole day cheering me but unfortunately I did not perform well. But I explained to them what happened and promised I will emerge the best in the future races and bring home a gold medal," said Kinyanjui.

In 2018 he moved out of their home in Gilgil and left to Keringet where his journey started as an individual athlete before meeting his coach Mr Langat in 2019.

He was integrated into the Kelite Ogilgey Athletics camp in Keringet where his journey as professional athlete began, competing in different levels before he was finally chosen to join team Kenya.  

“In May we had per-trials in Kericho County, and I emerged position two, I proceeded to semi-finals which were held in June in Kasarani and I became position one only to drop to number two in the finals and that’s how I was chosen to be part of team Kenya,” he said. 

“This is just the beginning. I am going far. I have a good coach and together we are training hard and I still have a stiff competition next month in Germany," he added.

For Bernard Kibet Yegon the script is not different. His woes started while he was only in class seven after his parents could not afford to provide his basic needs required in school forcing him to drop out.

The 18 -year-old from Tinet in Keringet said his parents Paul Sigei and Hellen Sigei who are casual labourers depend on casual jobs and the little they earned. was only enough for food.

However, the fifth born in a family of 10 siblings said one day while reading a newspaper he stumbled on Eliud Kipchoge's success story after winning and told himself that he would one day represent his country in athletics competition.

He started training individually and 2019 joined the camp, but their dreams were cut short in 2020 after the pandemic hit the country suspending all the games.

“After the sporting activities were cancelled I resorted to selling eggs and tilling people's land so that I could get money for transport to get to training and meetings. Life was hard but that changed this year after I got sponsorship from Adidas Company,” he added.

"I have participated in many competitions and I was optimistic that I would win, but it never happened. I am back to the drawing board and we'll be back stronger next year," he said. 

Maureen Cherotich, 18, finished position fourth in the 5000m race and is optimistic of a better outcome next time.