Benjamin Jipcho Chemaima: The man who brought the steeple chase glory home

Although the mention of the name Benjamin Jipcho Chemaima may not necessarily evoke vivid memories to many people he is the pioneer athlete who stamped Kenya's authority in the water and barriers race, the 3,000 metres steeplechase. And despite the glory of his many sterling performances over his illustrious and rewarding career on the tracks, he now lives a quiet life, uncelebrated, in his Kaptama home in Mt. Elgon, Western Kenya. 

On Point: An upbeat Ben Jipchoin his time

Since his hey days on the track, where he set the pace in what has been Kenya’s long dominance in the steeplechase event, Jipcho has been an observer, albeit a silent one, of the country’s sporting arena, with a special interest in athletics. The tall, burly man with a big handshake, who strikes you as jovial and conversational, belies the many accolades tucked into his roll of honours in the athletics world. His prowess no doubt set the ball rolling for athletics-mad steeplechase runners from all counties in Kalenjin land who have kept sweeping every record in sight, a thing that has left the world wondering what makes them claim a stake to the glory with so much vigour.

Ben Jipcho was born in 1943 in Mt Elgon in Western Kenya. His career, like that of many of his peers started from the simple act of running to and from school each day. But this seemingly simple act proved invaluable; it propelled him into athletics hall of fame when in 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, in the then West Germany, he won a silver medal in 3000 meters steeplechase race, only behind the legendary Kipchoge Keino. This of course came after he had participated in numerous local interschool championships, representing his Mt. Elgon district against many others including the then larger Trans Nzioa and Nandi districts, before his talent was spotted and called for national duty.

One of the records jipcho held at one time

The 1972 Olympic Games in Munich was for Ben Jipcho a good outing as it heralded the beginning of good tidings in the years that followed. In January 1973, the second All Africa Games were held in Lagos, Nigeria.   Kenya sent a strong team team to the games, and she finished top three in the medal table with a total of 23 medals, seven of them being gold. Two of the gold were raked in by Ben in the 3000m steeplechase and in 5000m races. Benjamin Jipcho along with able team mates Tecla Chemabwai, Charles Asati, Cosmas Silei and Fatwel Kimaiyo put Kenya on the mad medal haul that saw them even sweep the 4X400 meters relay title for the men’s team. 

Soon after in the 1974 Common wealth games held in Christchurch New Zealand, Jipcho went on a medal winning spree, winning two of the events he entered for and garnering a total of three medals, two gold and a bronze. He brialliantly fought off spirited competition from John Davies of Wales and compatriot Evans Mogaka to win the 3000m steeplechase event in a time of 8:20:8. He also put on a good fight, beating the English duo of Brendan Foster and John Black to the finish line in a time of 13:14:4. He took a bronze in 1500m coming in after Filbert Bayi from the neighboring Tanzania and John walker of New Zealand. 

From the Queen: Benjamin Jipcho receives the Olympic Games torch

Jipcho may be well known for his numerous exploits on the tracks but many people from of his time remember him for the role he played in Kipchoge Keino’s victory over Jim Ryun in the high altitude 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.  He sacrificed his own chances for a medal to team tactics, pulling Kipkeino through a 56 second first 400 meters, before being passed by his teammate with 800 meters to go and drifting back into the pack. By that point, Keino had established a lead of 20 meters or more, which Ryun's famous finishing speed could not erase. Jipcho later apologized to Ryun for acting as Keino's rabbit, beginning the years of “Pacing with honor”. 

Jipcho shares that he was lucky to go professional for a short time in the twilight days of his career as that enabled him to some money which he invested on buying land. He laments that many of his peers spent the whole of their careers as armatures and therefore now languish in poverty in old age, a thing he terms as shameful as these individuals worked selflessly for the betterment of the country’s image. He observes that athletics has changed very much over the years but there are still many things that remain the same. Athletics, he says, still calls for great sacrifice and self discipline. “We used to get up as early as four in the morning to train, although training in our time was not as sophisticated as it is today. We had no coaches. It was personal initiative to train.” He recalls that running was an armature affair and all deals were struck by the Kenya Armature Athletics Association on behalf of the athletes, which meant that they could not benefit directly from their sweat. He says the government has a duty and obligation to look into the welfare of the men and women who served it so diligently, for free, in their fruitful years.

See? Benjamin Jipcho shows off some of the trophies he weon in the many comapetition of his time

Jipcho, who has been quoted as saying ‘Running for money doesn't make you run fast. It makes you run first,’ attributes the current athletics success in the country to the big financial reward and also to the availability of great talent that is willing to sacrifice even for the love of country and says there is need for athletes to be prudent in the spending of their hard earned wealth.