How religion inspires Kenya's record-breaking athletes

Glory is no doubt a divine vocabulary. It’s a perfect mix of spiritual powers, talent and devotion. 

That clearly shows why some Kenyan athletes hold church prayers moments before major conquests. Although they are inspired by the maxim ‘train hard, win easy’, their brilliant performances appear to have a heavenly touch. 

Not even the disciples seemed to have helped them storm to victory, winning gold medals and breaking world records, but only God. They exhibit impressive display of talent in eye-popping, history making and mind-exploding fashions thanks to spiritual blessings in church services before competitions. 

For some Kenyan athletes, the prayer cycle is liturgical and has become a ritual among these record-breaking machines. And their spectacular shows always brighten every little colour and amplify every sweet sound in stadiums and big city marathons. For this reason, some of these athletes do the Christian sign of the cross to thank God at the finish line. 

Sabastian Sawe, who emerged as the first man to run a 42km race under two hours (1:59.30) at the London Marathon last month, provides a textbook example of Kenyan athletes who seek church prayers ahead of major competitions. 

Sawe, a staunch Catholic, had attended his most recent mass service at his local church, the Holy Family Catholic Church, part of the St Josephine Bakhita Lower Moiben Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, where he requested prayers. 

"When I blessed him, I never thought he would achieve such a global victory. It was really a surprise for me when I heard he had won. I was just blessing him like any other athlete or any other person,” Father Pius Tuwei, the parish priest, told Religion News Service website. 

He went on: “That could have really given him a very strong foundation on morals, the church and discipline — this could have contributed to his success," the priest said. "I think giving back to society is also holding him to his faith.” 

Sawe went ahead to break the two-hour barrier in marathon running. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha was second in 1:59.41. 

Sawe joined the elite club of Kenya’s barrier breakers in athletics. The five men –Eliud Kipchoge, Daniel Kipng’etich Komen, Yobes Ondieki, Moses Kiptanui and Moses Tanui –broke historic barriers in track and road running. 

Komen is the only man alive to have run two miles under eight minutes while Kiptanui was the first man to run 3,000m steeplechase under eight minutes. 

Ondieki wrote history as the first man to run 10,000m in under 27 minutes while Tanui was the first man to run a half marathon in under one hour. 

Kipchoge, the former world marathon record holder, says his Catholic faith played an important role in his life.

“It keeps me from doing things that could keep me away from my goals. On Sundays, I go to church with my family and pray regularly, even in the morning before a race," he said. 

Ahead of the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, in 2019, the congregation at St Paul’s University Chapel in Nairobi held special prayers for Kipchoge. 

As a devout Catholic, Kipchoge saw Christians including his mother Janeth Rotich pray for him. His mother said then: “I wake up at 3am every day to pray for him and his family. I pray for him as he prepares to run the marathon in under two hours. I also pray the rosary. I ask God to guide him in the race. He calls me before leaving the country for races. When he hangs up the calls, I straight away go to pray.” 

Kipchoge attends Kugeroniot Catholic Church near his rural home in Kapsisiywo village in Nandi County.

In 2013, Wilson Kipsang sought blessings at his AIC Mindililwo AIC Church before heading to Berlin Marathon where he broke the world marathon record. 

In 2011, his wife Doreen stunned the world at the Frankfurt Marathon when she offered Mursik (sour milk) to Kipsang she carried from home in what surprised the Germans. 

But the couple took a different approach in London. “We prayed at home and asked God to guide us. And I decided to take a Bible instead of milk this time,” said Doreen. 

Kipsang bought equipment for his Mindililwo Church near Iten. “Now that God has blessed again, I will not miss to extend my help,” he said. 

Childhood challenges and strong religion fuelled Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa’s bid for athletics glory. 

The 2012 Olympic 5000m bronze medalist, who is well-known as a pastor, said: “I always draw inspiration from the Bible scriptures which have really changed my life and that's why people refer to me as pastor. And I love it!” 

He borrows the scripture from 1st Corinthians 9:24-25: “Surely, do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 

Before he leaves for races abroad, Longosiwa’s fellow worshippers at AIC Church Fellowship in Eldoret hold special prayers for him. 

He’s been a prominent feature kneeling down at the finish line to do the sign of the cross. 

Mike Kipyego, the 2012 Tokyo Marathon winner, held prayers with fellow worshippers at his Elgonview Baptist Church in Eldoret before leaving for races abroad. 

But Olympic marathon silver medalist Abel Kirui offers a perfect mix of traditional culture and Christianity. 

Before heading to World Championships or Olympic Games, Kirui had been getting blessing from his grandmother Tamining Chemaiyo (RIP) and then headed to his Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kapsabet for prayers ahead of big city marathons normally held on Sundays. 

“Over the years, I have been getting blessing from my late grandmother.  Before I went to compete in the Amsterdam Marathon (in 2014), she had been hospitalised. She told me that she had given me her blessing. She died the same day after I competed in Amsterdam. I still believe that her blessing made me excel in athletics,” said Kirui, now retired athlete and Superintendent of Administration Police. 

John Kelai Ekiru, the 2010 Commonwealth Games marathon winner, also sought spiritual blessings ahead of major races. 

Kelai, who has always called on youths in his Turkana Community backyard to take up Christianity, dramatically went on knees to thank God for victory. At one time, he led youths in Eldoret in the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) programme. 

Edna Kiplagat, the 2011 and 2013 world marathon winner, attends mass services at Sacred Heart Iten Catholic Church and Boulder Catholic Church in Colorado, USA, which is near her training base.