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‘In Kenya, running is the only sport’
Famous soccer manager Bill Shankly had once said, “football is not as important as life and death. It is much more important than that.” For athletes from Africa, running has a similar status.
For Sammy Kirop Kitwara, one of the top contenders for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon this Sunday, life has been all about running right from his childhood, just like countless other children in the impoverished Kenyan countryside.
“In Kenya, running is life. In your country, some people are wrestling, some are playing football, others do tennis, cricket, but in Kenya, running is the only sport. There is a lot of running, because of the lifestyle. Life was harsh for me, I had no money.
“In my village, my school was 10 km away from my home. We had to run to school and back, around 20 km up and down. So it becomes a habit right from childhood,” Sammy told The Pioneer.
Since the days of Abbe Bikila and Kip Keino, athletes from east African neighbours Kenya and Ethiopia have imposed a vice like domination over long distance running, winning almost every major event around the world.
The phenomenon of athletes from the impoverished countries winning everything in sight has bewitched experts around the world, but Sammy feels that running comes naturally to Kenyan kids.
“Just like you Indians know how to play cricket right from childhood. It is the same with running in Kenya. Running is our mind right from childhood. Plus you need to focus in order to succeed. That is why we are successful in Kenya,” he said.
The 26-year-old policeman however, rejected the popularly held notion that genetics play a major part in the success of African athletes, asserting that athletes from any country can attain success if they determined and are willing to put in the hard work required. “No it is nothing genetic. Just training and focus,” he stated.
“Just train, train and train. That is the only secret of becoming a champion athlete,” he added.
Sammy admitted that diet is a problem for budding athletes growing up in an impoverished like Kenya. But that is compensated by the traditional Kenyan diet which is rich in protein and carbohydrates.
“In India, wheat and rice are the main parts of your diet. In Kenya, we mostly eat curry. It is made with maize flour, with vegetable broth and meat. It is much more nutritious than rice. It gives the energy needed for hard running,” he said.
Talking about Sunday’s race, he said, “We have to concentrate. I want to go below 59 minutes. I am totally focused. Focus is very important if you want to win.”
He was also happy with the weather in the capital, since it reminded him of the weather back home in Kenya.
“Weather in Delhi is just like Kenya. It reminds me of my village back home. It is extremely suitable for long distance running,” he said.
