Athletes get their millions as red carpet rolled out for Tokyo Worlds superstars

The country’s team to the 2025 World Athletics Championships was on Thursday hailed for their historic performance in Tokyo as the Kenyan government rolled out a red carpet for the squad at State House, Nairobi.

Athletics superstars who bagged gold medals reaped from the heroic reception as they were awarded affordable houses on top of their Sh3 million rewards.

Team Kenya brought home seven gold medals, two silver and a similar number of bronze from the global showpiece which came to a close on September 21.

According to the team, Kenya cemented its legacy as an athletics powerhouse at the Tokyo event.

Former world javelin champion Julius Yego, who was the team captain said the squad was thrilled as it returned back the Kenyan flag with 11 medals.

Yego, who represented the country in the men’s javelin said the team from Tokyo was young and would still make the nation proud in upcoming championships.

“We did so well in Tokyo and we returned the Kenyan flag with medals. It was a good performance and we keep going,” said the 36-year-old Yego.

The 2015 world champion went on to say: “The team was young. I think I was the oldest member of the team together with Faith Kipyegon and Boniface Mweresa. It means the future of our athletics is bright.”

A light moment came when Kipyegon, who stormed to her fourth 1500m world title in Tokyo praised Kenya’s ambassador to Japan Moi Lemoshira for helping 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi get his favourite dish, ugali in Tokyo.

Kipyegon said she believed that the ugali delivered through the envoy’s efforts powered Wanyonyi to the only gold medal won by Kenyan men in Tokyo.

“He (the ambassador) did an amazing job to look for ugali for Wanyonyi. I don’t know if we would have gotten a gold medal from the men were it not for the ugali,” she said.

Additionally, Kipyegon who was speaking in place of deputy team captain Beatrice Chebet – a double world champion said the brigade to Tokyo performed ‘extremely well’ compared to 2023 in Budapest where the country achieved three titles. Chebet lost her father-in-law and wasn’t present in the State House reception.

President William Ruto said Sh27 million rewards for Tokyo World Championships had been disbursed in line with his directive to enhance the awards.

“Just like we did for Harambee Stars during Chan, the seven gold medalists from Tokyo will each get (on top of the cash rewards) an affordable house at half the price,” Ruto promised.

He further promised recruitment of 500 young sports personalities into the disciplined forces including the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service (NPS), this year.

Ruto said talks were ongoing to create slots for sportsmen and women in Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forest Service recruitment.

“Five hundred sports men and women will be hired to the disciplined forces for them to continue raising the flag higher. 200 will be recruited to the military and 150 will join NPS,” said Ruto.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said Kenya will continue protecting the country’s sport.

“We must continue to protect the stature of the sport. Great achievement comes with great responsibility,” Kindiki said.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya said all medallists from Tokyo achieved their podium places with integrity.

“All our athletes in Tokyo were tested by the Athletics Integrity Unit and that confirms that our team won with integrity,” he said.