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Lead Stories: Monday, October 13, 2008

Note on the News: Impact of Kenyan Violence on Runners

Posted May 13th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

My colleague Jeré Longman has written a lenghty piece published in today’s NEW YORK TIMES on how the post-election violence in Kenya has impacted runners there.

The story, written in Eldoret, focuses on world marathon champion Luke Kibet, but also mentions and interviews athletes and officials at many levels, including Catherine Ndereba, Wesley Ngetich, Lucas Sang, David Okeyo, Moses Kiptanui and many others. Photos accompany the story.

You can read the story at this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/sports/othersports/13runners.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin

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Special Half-Marathon Entries To Benefit Fallen Marathoner

Posted March 27th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The officially sold-out Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, which is held in conjunction with Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., will offer additional entries through an online auction to benefit the family of the fallen marathoner, Wesly Ngetich, who was killed during the violence in Kenya earlier this year. Ngetich won Grandma’s Marathon twice in 2005 and 2007.

“Wesly was a great champion for our event, so assisting his family is the very least we can do,” said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon. “Our donations can’t bring him back, but hopefully they can bring some financial relief to his family members as they struggle through this difficult time.”
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French TV Report with Luke Kibet from Kenya’s Rift Valley

Posted February 5th, 2008 at 1:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

French television has produced an 11 minute report on the situation facing athletes in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The report features world marathon champion Luke Kibet, and one of Lucas Sang’s brothers (Sang, an Olympian, was killed by a mob). There is extensive footage of athletes in training. Kibet allows the cameras to enter his home where he shows that he’s well-armed in case of attack.

Yes, the report is in French, but it’s worth a look even if you don’t speak French, especially if you’ve never been to this part of the world. Thanks to Carole Fuchs for bringing this to our attention.

http://videos.tf1.fr/video/emissions/septahuit/0,,3702383,00-tf1-video-sept-huit-course-contre-mort-.html

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Athlete Ngetich Perishes in Ongoing Kenyan Violence

Posted January 21st, 2008 at 1:22 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The ongoing violence in Kenya has claimed the life of marathoner Wesley Ngetich, according to his manager Hussein Makke. The 34 year-old athlete was shot in the chest with an arrow today during fighting in his hometown of Trans Mara, not far from Masai Mara.

“They spoke to his sister-in-law who said they took him to the hospital and he passed away,” Makke explained in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly. “I don’t have any further information at the moment.”

Makke got the news of Ngetich’s death from his on-site manager in Kenya, Francis Kamau.
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Training for Dubai, Gebrselassie & Kiplagat Face Different Challenges

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 3:34 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

With the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon looming in just 11 days, Haile Gebrselassie and Lornah Kiplagat are making their final preprations, each facing their own special challenges.

Gebrselassie, the world record holder and #2-ranked marathoner in the world last year in Race Results Weekly’s rankings, is dreaming of the $1 million bonus on the line for toppling his own world best of 2:04:26 set in Berlin last September. Well, at least his Dutch manager Jos Hermens is.

“I and he are certain he can do under 2:04,” Hermens is quoted by race organizers as saying last week.

But Gebrselassie himself is more circumspect. “Yes, I did 2:04 in Berlin,” Gebrselassie told race organizers via telephone over the weekend. “But everything was perfect, the weather, the course, the pacemaking. Sure, it’s possible to do under 2:04, but everything has to be perfect again.”
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Kenyan Athletes Trying to Cope With Unrest

Posted January 5th, 2008 at 2:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

While the horrifying death of Kenyan Olympian Lucas Sang and the wounding of world marathon champion Luke Kibet have made headlines, much of the information coming out of Kenya from the athletics community is that most athletes remain safe, but training and travel has been curtailed due to the obvious dangers.

Agent Lisa Buster reports that world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba and her husband Anthony Maina are safe, but housebound in Nairobi. Road runner Linus Maiyo, who lives in Eldoret, is unable to train and is staying indoors.

Tom Ratcliffe, who manages marathoners Stephen Kiogora, Evans Rutto and Ben Maiyo says that his athletes are fine, but hesitant to go out for training. “Most guys are staying in their home areas, as they want to stay close to their families and do not want to travel,” he wrote in an e-mail message.
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Note on the News: Violence In Kenya Reaches Top Athletes

Posted January 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

The violence in Kenya following the disputed presidential election has touched some of distance running’s top athletes, according to a well-reported story by Elias Makori, sports editor of the Daily Nation.

Makori reports that world marathon champion Luke Kibet was caught up in a machete attack and is lucky to be alive. That news comes on the heels of a report that Lucas Sang, an Olympic 400m runner, was hacked to death, his body burned. Makori also reports extensively on the efforts by Lornah Kiplagat (Pictured) and her husband and manager, Pieter Langerhorst, to defend their High Altitude Training Center in Iten, not far from Eldoret.

You can read the full story here:

http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.php?page=news&cod=1767&tp=n
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