Why Kenyan men must sweat more to win gold medals at global athletics events

“There is a lot of blood, sweat and guts between dreams and success.” If there is one group of athletes that should often remind itself of this Paul Bryant’s quote, it is Kenyan male runners.

And when they feel slow-moving again as they prepare for major championships, they can always listen to classic anthems such as Queen’s ‘We are the Champions,’ or Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’ for motivation.

The women have done the country proud in recent global championships, and pressure has been mounting on the men to deliver stunning performances as well.

But on one hand, there have been calls for ways to get the Kenyan men’s mojo back, especially in distance racing.

The country’s glory at international championships has previously been contributed by both men and women at almost equal measures.

Performances at the recently concluded Tokyo World Championships formed another chapter in Kenyan men’s worrying decline at the global stage.

Endurance has kept Kenyan men on the top of various events on the track, but recent years have been defined by struggles.

Their women counterparts have joined those calling on the men to strategise better and work harder.

Maybe Kenya needs to call the hundreds of its elite and upcoming troops for a mega meeting somewhere in Iten, Kaptagat, Kapsabet, Kericho or Nyahururu on one chilly day to chart a way forward.

Four-time world 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon manifestly challenged Kenyan men during a breakfast meeting to receive the country’s heroes from the Tokyo World Championships at State House, Nairobi.

“We did an amazing job as women. We came back home with six gold medals and one from the men (Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s gold in the 800m). So, men, you have to pull up your socks,” Kipyegon said at the red carpet event.

After the 5000m heats in Tokyo, double world champion Beatrice Chebet praised the women for overcoming strong competition to bring home the medals.

“We have run some other races, and we ran well. We have achieved good performances, especially us, the ladies.

She further said: “As the ladies from Kenya – Faith (Kipyegon), Peres (Jepchirchir), me (Chebet) and Faith (Cherotich) and other athletes – we have done a good job, and we are happy for ourselves.”

The Kenyan men also brought home bronze medals from the men’s 3000m steeplechase and 1500m through youngsters Edmund Serem and Reynold Cheruiyot.

From struggling to claim titles at recent global championships and the Olympic Games to finding it hard to retain world records set by the country’s legends, stakeholders have raised concern.

Last year, the question of whether the ever-changing running gear and technology is disadvantaging Kenyans became a subject of discussion after Norwegian track star Jakob Ingebrigtsen talked about his ice vest.

“We use ice vests; we make sure I stay hydrated and I am prepared,” Ingebrigtsen, a two-time Olympic champion, said after a Diamond League race.

Three-time world 3000m steeplechase champion Moses Kiptanui points out irresponsible behaviours among men.

According to the former world record holder, active male athletes no longer listen to their mentors and coaches and end up spending most of their time partying and overindulging in alcohol, hence losing their power to indiscipline.

“We have seen our potential international championship athletes spending many hours drinking alcohol and engaging in other irresponsible behaviours,” says the steeplechase legend.

He says women have proved to be responsible, and that is why they are succeeding in winning more medals than men.

“Most of our coaches are well trained but lack experience. You may have the theory but lack the practical aspects to nurture athletes who can compete well in a championship,” he adds.

In a recent interview, track legend Daniel Komen made an interesting observation.

The former 3000m world record holder said the mode of training the current crop of athletes is appalling.

Komen believes training in seclusion paid off during his prime.

He explained how, together with counterparts, he left Eldoret for Nyahururu for weeks to focus purely on breaking the world record, away from family and the comfort of his home.

“It was very cold,” he recalls.

“Together with Moses Kiptanui, David Kiptoo and Paul Bitok, we travelled from Eldoret to Nyahururu where we would train for a whole month – away from the comfort of our homes. It wasn’t easy preparing for a world record,” he told Standard Sport.

Komen recalls how he overcame all odds while training for the world record-breaking races.

Humiliations by Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie were among Komen’s biggest hurdles on his way to obliterating the 3000m world records in 1996 (outdoor) and the indoor mark in 1998.

Komen attributes his world record exploits to what he describes as excellent coaching, rigorous training, a high level of discipline that kept him away from family and close friends, as well as pacesetting.

He was paced by 1500m athletes Martin Keino and David Kisang in the world record race.

Records set by Kenyan men who have retired from the sport are also tumbling.

David Rudisha and Noah Ngeny are the remaining Kenyan World Record holders on the track, with their 800m and 1000m fastest marks of all time respectively under their names under threat.

For the men’s 800m world record, prayers are abound that the reigning world and Olympic champion  Emmanuel Wanyonyi lowers it and guards it from other global bigwigs.

There were three men holding records in track events since last year when Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen shattered the men’s 3000m world record that was previously held by Komen.

Back to the statistics, Kenyan men dominated the world record books. They are watching in disbelief as Kenya loses the grip on some races.

For instance, the 3000m steeplechase world record currently held by Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma was once a preserve of Kenyan water and barrier maestros.

The women’s event is still a Kenyan affair, with Beatrice Chepkoech holding the record

The late Ben Jipcho opened the world record-breaking spree in the men’s event after becoming the first Kenyan man to take it down in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1973 and breaking it five months later that year before obliterating the mark again eight days later.

After Jipcho, the late Henry Rono, a man who shattered multiple records, including in the 3000m steeplechase in 1978, took over the throne before Peter Koech, currently a businessman in Kapsabet, became the fastest man in the distance in 1989.

And then came Kenya’s most successful steeplechaser, Kiptanui, who reigned supreme from 1992 to 1995, breaking the world records at will. The legend from Kapkomora in Marakwet East was untouchable during his prime.

Bernard Barmasai took over the reins in 1997 and later came Kenyan-born Qatari Stephen Cherono (Saaeed Shaheen, who shattered the world record in Brussels in 2004.

It was until June last year in Paris that Girma demolished Cherono’s record in a spectacular fashion.

The current 10000m world record is held by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who also has the fastest mark in 5000m, while Chebet holds the women’s.

A number of athletics enthusiasts have raised questions on the diminishing number of men making it to the podium at global championships.

Since 2015, the number of Kenyan men clinching world titles has been reducing.

Previously, the country’s men and women shared the numbers.

In 2015, for instance, men brought home four out of the total gold medals. They were Ezekiel Kemboi (3000m steeplechase), the late Nicholas Bett (400m hurdles), Julius Yego (javelin) and Asbel Kiprop (1500m).

During the following edition in 2017 London, Geoffrey Kirui (marathon), Conseslus Kipruto (3000m steeplechase), and Elijah Manangoi (1500m) secured world titles out of the five gold medals that Kenya won.