President William Ruto has praised marathon all-time winner Eliud Kipchoge, stating that he is a legend despite the recent unfolding events during the Olympic competition in Paris a few weeks ago.
Ruto spoke while attending a breakfast with all the Olympic medalists and sports stakeholders in Eldoret, two days after Team Kenya’s arrival from the Olympics.
According to Ruto, Kipchoge is celebrated for his achievements in the sports sector of the country, and therefore, all the athletes deserve less criticism because they make huge sacrifices to represent the country in competitions.
“Eliud Kipchoge is a great legend. People were disappointed that he did not finish the race, but we celebrate you. You are a great legend. Let’s criticize them less; they make sacrifices to make our flag fly in capitals around the world,” said Ruto.
Eliud Kipchoge faced backlash after a section of netizens criticized him over his poor performance in the Olympics, where the marathoner failed to finish the race and was among the last participants.
Ruto further called on the Sports Cabinet Secretary to bring back the lost glory in athletics, lamenting the reduction in medals in the recently concluded athletics events. “We have fewer medals because we are missing one in the steeplechase. Mr. Murkomen, we need to restore the glory of these competitions to a higher level. I have faith in you because you come from Iten, where sports are considered a big thing,” said Ruto.