Posted: May 16, 2007

Athletics: Kip Keino – A Champion in Life

By Steve Bower Olympic champion oversees inaugural Kip Keino Mile Races in Ithaca, New York on May 13, 2007 If you are my age (half a century), and whether or not you ever were a runner (I’m not, but am working on it], you have almost certainly heard of Kip Keino. The great Kenyan runner won four Olympic medals in 1968 and 1972, including a three-second win over Jim Ryun of the United States in the games held in Mexico City. He spawned a generation of Kenyan distance runners who have since reshaped and dominated the sport. Now 67 years old, the man with a warm smile and gentle demeanour, but the heart if a lion, continues to inspire. This time, though, it’s through humanitarian efforts to help young people in his native Kenya. The inaugural one mile races at Ithaca represent another fundraising initiative for Keino. I was there, on that sunny, gusty, 15° day to cover the race, and had the chance to talk to him. He explained he was there for two reasons: support the runners, and raise funds for his foundation. The Races The windy conditions had a direct impact on race tactics - and the times. In the elite women’s race, Megan Metcalfe broke away from Natalie Hughes on the home stretch to make it a 1-2 win for the Americans. On the men’s side, Nick Willis (left) of New Zealand pulled away midway through the final turn, and strode to an easy win in a time of 4:00:29, beating out New Yorker Anthony “Fam” Famiglietti who followed two seconds later. “Rather than starting my break on the back side, given the wind and the shape of the turn, I decided before the race I’d hold off until half way through that turn,” explained Willis. Recently back competing following a stress fracture in his calf, and in light of the gusty conditions, he decided a tactical race would be the way to win it, which he executed perfectly. He’s already been invited to the world championships in Osaka, and will focus his whole season on the next 16 weeks leading up to that event. Asked if he was pushing his training too hard, he answered matter of factly: “I’m paid a lot of money to perform well, so that’s what I need to do for my sponsors and supporters.” Through his foundation, Keino continues to raise money. He’s in the process of building a high school in Eldoret, Kenya, close to where he grew up. Through funds raise with his foundation, he has already built an elementary school there. Keino hopes the high school will open its doors this fall. There’s a special link between Eldoret and Ithaca, bound by runners and education. Ithaca, home to hallowed Cornell University, is a sister city to Eldoret. The Ithaca mile is one of the major fundraising efforts Keino supports in the United States. That’s in addition to his support of a range of programs, from helping dozens of orphans to leading an academy (the Kip Keino High Performance Training Centre) for elite runners in Kenya. You can still see Keino’s tireless intensity behind his calm eyes. Running? Sure, “running if for life” he says. In his case, life is also an opportunity to help many people along the way. It may sound hokey, but in addition to his Olympic victories, I found in Kip Keino a man who truly has a heart of gold. Awards, like the medals and recognition he’s earned over the years, including his induction into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 1996 and his honorary doctorate bestowed by Kenya’s President, are simply the means to an end. They help him champion the many causes he supports. Kip Keino: a champion in life! More information on Kip and the race can be found at: www.kipkeinotraining.org, and LetsRun.com. Photos by Steve Bower for the Runner's Web