Samson Kimobwo: The unsung hero and coach of long distance running

Action: Samson Kimobwo leads the pack in one of the championships
in which he participated in

In stamping her authority in athletics track events, Kenya has seemingly had a constant supply of passionate and capable individuals who have successfully chased glory. She has, for decades now, been able to showcase selfless and go getter athletics-brilliant men and women brimming with talent. She has swept all titles worth their salt; cross country and the indoor championship disciplines are no exception.

And like all other athletics events, cross country running and the indoor games have courageous runners who proudly took the game to the global competitors, with a claim to victory and authoritatively set the pace on which Kenya’s streak of sterling performances is built. Standing tall to claim the roll of honor, albeit humbly, in the athletics hall of fame for building a firm foundation in the indoor and cross country athletics championships is one Samson Kimobwo.

Samson Kimobwo was born in September of 1955 in Kitalabosio near Murgochet, along the administrative border land of the then Trans-Nzoia and West Pokot Districts. Kimobwo's career did not immediately get off to a flying start when he started running in Chewoyet Secondary School. “I had become the subject of ridicule for being the best in taking the last position,” he says. His first serious challenge in running soon came when participated in a cross country competition held in Kaplong in 1971 where competition was nothing like he had seen before.  Finishing in position 136, Kimobwo says he saw dust, quite literally.

After the the Kaplong defeat, Kimobwo went onto the drawing board, training hard and re-merging in 1972 to participate in the Solai-Nakuru 10 mile road race where he put on a  brave challenge and made his future intentions clear, beating Briton Chris Steeward to the finish line. Steward later clinched a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich, in the then West Germany. Kimobwo says, together with big names like Kipchoge Keino, Benjamin Kogo and Tecla Chemabwai, he participated in the Olympics qualifying trials for the Munich games that were held in Kisumu but he did not qualify owing to his tender age.

Courtesy of his teachers, led by one Graham Parker, Kimobwo was selected to participate in athletics competition tour in England in the August of 1973, where he says he competed well, clinching psotions 1 and 2 in the events that he entered. His friends who ridiculed him at the start of his running were forever silenced when he stamped his authority on the track by emphatically winning in the national inter secondary school championships held in St. Marys Secondary School, Kwale. He did so by sweeping the cross country, 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters events.

He reminisces that he, together with one of his very good friends, Mike Koskei, he participated in the first ever  East Africa inter secondary schools championships held in Kisumu in 1974, where he successfully claimed the 5000m and 1000m titles. He was enrolled in Washington State University in 1975 where he studied for his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture and Economics. He assisted some of his fellow countrymen, including his friend Mike Koskei and Joel Cheuiyot to join the univeristy. He participapted in numerous NCAA championships from 1976 to 1980 where he earned himself respect from fellow athletes including seasoned runner Greg Virgin.The NCAA championships are annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in America.

Kimobwo also participated in the 1976 Detroit Indoor Games where he was beaten to the finish line by a Mexican. In the same year in the outdoor games held in Philadelphia, USA he completed the clean sweep of the cross country event, finishing after compatriots in the Kenyan trio of Kimeto and John Ngeno.  The jewel in his athletics crown and a permanent niche in athletics history came in  1977 when he won in style, setting a new world record in the world games held in Helsinki, Finland by breaking David Bedford’s  record in the 10,000 meters race by a measly  0.3 seconds. It was soon broken by fellow countryman Henry Rono in 1978. David Bedford is now the organizer of the London Marathon.

Kimobwo, who is now an Agriculture teacher in Kapenguria Boys High School, says despite his many achievements, the only thing he was lucky to get in return is education. He says he has used his position as a teacher to coach and mentor athletes who have come up to be world beating athletics champions. These include, among others, bronze medalist in Bercalona ’92 Olympics William Mutwol, multiple world record holder Moses Kiptanui, Brimin Kipruto, Richard Chelimo, Antony Kiprono, Benson Koech, Vincent Malakwen, Reuben Koskei and world record holder in 3000m steeplechase  Ezekiel Kemboi.

Nurturing the young: Samson Kimobwo teaching recently at Kapenguria Boys High School

Looking back at the recently concluded London (2012) Olympics, Kimobwo advises current athletes to borrow from the lessons of their time. He says their time was rich with team work and genuine concern for the other person. He says that he was very happy for instance, when Henry Rono broke the world record that he held for a year as they always were a team. He says a competition that is entered with genuine teamwork is as good as a competition that is half won. 

Kimobwo calls upon athletes, both active and retired to venture out and take the various leadership positions in athletics management so that they ensure that athletes are not short changed. He asks the government to recognize and reward past athletics champions even as a way of encouraging youngsters to take up all sporting activities seriously.

The Government and the athletics management bodies in Kenya, he says, should now work at ensuring that they not only honor retired athletes, but that they also tap in to the enormous resource that lies in their invaluable on-the-job experience. Kimobwo, who is also a trained coach says retired athletes have great abilities and a rare insight into athletics that should be harnessed and passed on to young generation of so that our country’s winning formula on the track is kept on course. 

“If I am assisted in setting up a training camp, I am sure I will do an even better job in identifying and bringing up more world class talent.” Kimobwo offers.

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.

Tecla Chemabwai: The first lady of athletics

At just 18, she made her debut in the Olympics becoming the youngest member of the Kenyan Olympic squad that competed in 1968 Summer Olympics

The bulk of athletics pioneers in the 1950’s and 60’s in Kenya were men. But amongst them were selfless, competent women who ably represented this country, starting their careers in on the tracks as early as from their teens. Tecla Chemabwai, a sprinter and middle distance runner, is one such athlete who scored many firsts in her long and illustrious career, especially at a time when women athletes from Kenya were few and far between. 



Action: Tecla doing her thing in one of the many competitions in
she participated in.



Tekla Chemabwai was born in July 3, 1950 in Mosombor in Nandi County.  At the tender age of 18, she made her debut in the Olympics becoming the youngest member of the Kenyan Olympic squad that competed in 1968 Summer Olympics. Chemabwai competed at the games which were held in Mexico City but did not advance past the heats in the 400 metres race. At the games, she, together with Lydia Stephens-Oketch and Elizabeth Chesire, was the first Kenyan woman athlete to ever compete at the Olympics. She reminisces that to her during that time, it was just a competition. “All I knew was that it was all about just running, competing. The person who won, won! The ones that were defeated tried their luck next time. It wasn’t that serious to me.” An attitude she attributes to her dismal performance in the games.

Four years later more serious, mature and a lot wiser, Chemabwai made a comeback to the Olympics arena, competing at the 1972 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals of 400 meters race. She says she had by then improved very much in shape owing to the improved focus on training. She had used her time well in building up her track shape.

Her glory had been long time coming when at the 1973 2^ND All-Africa games held in Lagos, Nigeria, she became the first Kenyan woman to win an All-Africa Games gold medal in athletics, doing so in the 400 meters race. Chemabwai continued her exploits, winning silver at the 1978 Commonwealth Games 800 metres race. The medal was only the second won by Kenyan women athletes in the Commonwealth Games, the first being that won by Sabina Chebichi, who finished third at the 1974 Commonwealth Games 800 metres race.

Chemabwai who is now a Sports Management lecturer in Moi University reminisces that it gave her immense pride to represent Kenya in the numerous assignments she was given. She says it was indeed an honour to go on behalf of all the people of the land and to be chosen from among a strong field of equally able peers. With an additional  number of East and Central African championships over 200 and 400 metres titles to her name, looking back now at her days on the track, Chemabwai intimates that she had a long and successful career because she did not jump into family life when she was still too young. She also attributes it also to the fact that she was lucky to be married to a fellow runner who understood athletics.

She advises upcoming female athletes to concentrate on building their careers and not rush into marriage “Marriage will not go anywhere. And your chances of making the right decisions on settling greatly improve with age. If a female athlete gets married soon into her career, it means she may not attain her peak.”  She also strongly advises them against agreeing to be taken in by men as second wives. She cautions female runners to be careful as many men would want to take advantage of their effort and sweat. “Not all men who seduce girls who run have their interests at heart. Some chase them for their money.”

Chemabwai says Kenya has a huge potential to compete in numerous disciplines in international games. What needs to be done, she says, is the allocation of resources that will be geared towards identifying and building talent. She says the Government should set aside funds to be used in building infrastructure and diversifying into other disciplines like javelin and short races. “We have people in this country whose structure is built for short races and the communities like the Maasai will have no problem throwing a spear” all that needs to be done, she advises, is to identify and build them into international competitors.



Tecla in her home in Eldoret recenly (Photo by Moses Tanui)



Being a trainer on Sports Management, Tecla Chemabwai says sports in the country needs qualified, competent and professional men and women who will be able to manage sports affairs and focus on growing the level of the various sports disciplines. She says it is time Kenyan athletes were managed and coached by compatriots, roles now largely played by foreigners. Sportspersons too need to be equipped with management skills, she adds, so that they can be able to make wise investments decisions and to be able to consolidate their gains and oversee their estates.

She is happy that the sports management course in Moi Univeristy is expanding, sharing that the course is tailored to incorporate good governance, integrity and selfless leadership. Chemabwai sees the country slowly but surely heading to having sufficient qualified men and women in the discipline of handling sports men and women and managing sports facilities.

Stephen Bartonjo Rotich: The pioneer track star from Baringo

He became the first Kenyan athlete alongside Arere Anentia to win a medal at any intercontinental championships in 1958

The county of Baringo, like many other counties of the Rift valley, has produced a fair share of seasoned athletes who are renowned for their exploits across the globe. The pioneer of the sport of running in the county and arguably one of Kenyas athletics fathers, and with a career that can be traced back into the early 1950s, is none other than Stephen Bartonjo Rotich.

Bartonjo Rotich was born May 25, 1937 in Kabartonjo in Baringo District and started formal learning and his running career in 1952 in  a missionary primary school in Eldama-Ravine in the now Koibatek District. He proceeded for his intermediate stage of study at the Government African School in Kabarnet where, apart from studying, he furthered his running skills acquired from primary school by participating in intermediate schools athletics competitions, which encompassed all intermediate schools from Kabarnet, Tambach, Kapsabet and Kapenguria. He went to Kapsabet for his High school education. Were it not for a District Officer at the time who spotted Bartonjo’s intellect, he would not have gone to school in the first place as he had already started working. He says the Government officer advised him to go to class and that is how he found his way through the country’s education system.

But his road to international track stardom came when Authur (Archie) Evans, the then Colonial Sports Officer who is largely credited for the formation of the Kenya Armature Athletics Association-KAAA (which Bartonjo later became its chairman), saw his potential and took him for training and coaching. “After Archie took me for training, I competed and won in districts, provincial and even in national games. That is when I qualified to make it to the national team.” He participated in numerous local and regional competitions and finally plunged into the international arena and limelight in 1956.

1956 is the year that The Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Bartonjo Rotich represented Kenya in the Competitions but failed to advance past 400 metres heats and 4x400 metres relay heats, which he ran with Kibet Boit, Samuel Chemweno and Kiptalam Arap Keter. Two years later in 1958, he went away for national duty in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games which were held in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom in July 1958, where he finished third in the 440 yards hurdles race in a time of 51:75. He therefore became the first Kenyan athlete to win a medal at any intercontinental championships alongside Arere Anentia, who won a bronze medal over 6 miles race in the same competitions. At the common wealth games, he also competed in the 4X400 meters relay with team mates Kibet Boit, Seraphino Antao, and Samuel Chemweno.

Bartonjo intimates that athletics has changed very much over the years but so many things still remain the same too. Athletics, he says, has always called for great sacrifice and self discipline. “I 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 adds that the only things they could get as reward were utencils, blankets and a promotion at work. Bartonjo however notes that it was a good thing the government at least thought of giving the educated athletes good jobs. 

Good Shepherd: Stephen Bartonjo Rotich in his home in Drys, Uasin Gishu County. 

Bartonjo is very happy for the current crop of athletes because of the advances made in running that allows them to go professional in their careers, handing them the chance to make money and benefit directly from their effort and sweat. He however says that the Government and Athletics Management bodies should formulate ways of giving athletes sound advice and support in available investment options so that the benefits accruing from athletics can be consolidated to be lasting legacies in the regions.

 

Bartonjo Rotich did not join the armed forces like many of his colleagues. He headed the Kenya Armature Athletics Association (KAAA) from 1968 to 1972. He served in his other career as an administrator, discharging his duties in Muranga, Homa Bay and Nakuru as a District Assistant. In 1964, he rose to be the assistant Civil Secretary and thereafter to the position of Regional Government Agent posted to Lodwar in Turkana and later to Kisumu. The system of Government in the 60s was Federal. He was also one time chairman of several Boards including Irrigation Board, Cotton Lint Board and Horticulture Development Board, and the Kenya Airports Authority. Bartonjo served in KENATCO and in Brook Bond in different capacities.

As a former athletics and government administrator, Bartonjo says there is a need for investment in sports facilities and the creation of a national system that will nurture talented sports men and women from as early as age 10. Bartonjo is confident that in so doing, this country will produce not only long distance track stars but also world beating sports persons in short races and events like boxing, swimming, shot put, Javelin and other field disciplines. “The old athletes who are fathers of athletics in Kenya should be given recognition and reward even as motivation to the young and upcoming runners, that they will also be taken care of and remembered in retirement.” He says that former athletes should even be honored in non monetary terms like streets being named after them and monuments erected in their memory.

Mzee Bartonjo is married and blessed with children and currently lives in Drys Farm in Uasin-Gishu County where he does farming and manages his developed properties in the area.

Benjami Kogo: The forgoten world beating athlete

This man, like his peers, ran for the love of his country

Meeting Benjamin Kogo recently in his home in Kabirsang Village of Nandi County, nothing in the old man betrays his world beating athletics prowess. Nothing at all, until he speaks, tells you that he is indeed the 1968 Summer Olympics silver medalist in 3000 meters steeplechase, an event now globally acceptable as a Kenyan preserve. Though living in his humble home, little known, he belongs in his own right, to the group of individuals forming the early Kenyan running elites.

Benjamin Kipkurgat Arap Kogo was born in 1945 in Arwos in the vast, tea and maize planting County of Nandi. He traces the beginnings of his running career to his days in primary school when he participated in the inter districts games which drew participants from the then very big districts of Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet and Nakuru. “Those days when we started running, we used to do it barefoot. There were no shoes for athletes.” Kogo says he ran in numerous school tournaments before his talent was noticed and called for assignment on behalf of the country.

The 1968 Olympic Games that Kogo participated in marked an improved performance from Kenya and many African countries as most continued enjoying their newly-found independence from their colonial masters. “Running in the Olympic games still remains a great achievement to me. It is an honour to run for flag, for your country in such a big event as the Olympics.”  Kogo reminisces that it brought him joy and pride to go for assignment on behalf of Kenya. He also points out that in 1968 Mexico City Olympics, he was no stranger to the games as he had participated in the 1964 games held in Tokyo-Japan, but failed to make it to the final in the steeplechase event. “I think we did not do enough training that time. We trained easy so obviously the competition became tough.” He finished fifth in the first round heats by clocking 8:51:0 in the race won in Olympic record time of 8:30:8 by Belgian Gaston Roelants. With the benefit of hindsight, he advises with wisdom that only comes with age that “Train hard, compete easy.”

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Kogo is however quick to point out that despite his success on the field, no form of recognition has come his way. “I am as you see me. No one still remembers me. I and my colleagues did our best during our time, but now that old age is catching up with us, no one seems remember what we did.” He says that the athletics officials, some of whom were his peers on the track should initiate ways of recognizing and rewarding all the retired athletes who won medals in their respective events during their careers. Kogo remembers how reception was when they returned from representing Kenya in competitions. “The welcomes were a simple affair. A luncheon or dinner where we could eat after which every team member was seen off to their respective people for seven a days leave from work.” He explains that there was no monetary reward for their effort in service to the nation.

With various continental and regional games titles, Benjamin Kogo indeed boasts of one of illustrious athletics careers of his time.   He won gold at the first All-Africa Games held in 1965 in Brazzaville in a time of 8:47:4 where he fought off stiff competition from compatriot Naftali Chirchir and Eddy Okadapau of Uganda who came in second and third respectively.  Kogo also exhibited seasoned running in the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games winning a bronze medal. He says the country’s athletics managers should devise ways of seeking and incorporating the veterans’ views on the day to day running of Kenya’s athletics affairs. “Some of the men and women can be very good coaches by virtues of experience. There are also managers among us.”

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Asked why they did not form a welfare society or a group to champion their interests, he explains that at the time, there was no knowledge of the benefits of coming together, but quickly adds that it is never too late to do so. The challenge he says, is in the logistics of organizing a meeting to chart the way forward as most of them do not have resources to spare due to biting poverty. “The onus lies on the likes of (Dr.) Kipchoge Keino who is a leader of the athletes to look for his peers and organize us in a way that we can ask for assistance and recognition from our country because we deserve it.”

Before his retirement in 1976, Kogo served this country in the military as a mechanic. He lives with his wife in his farm in Kabirsang, Nandi County, near Kapsabet Town where he does tea farming. He keeps cattle and plants maize for subsistence purposes.

Nandi County is recognized the world over as the producer of the most successful athletes including the celebrated Kipchoge Keino, a gold medalist at Mexico City 1968 and Munich in 1972 Olympic games and Prof. Mike Boit, a Bronze medalist at Munich 1972 Olympics, the 1968 Olympic gold medalist Amos Kipwambok Biwott and the 1973 All-Africa Games gold medalist Tecla Chemabwai. Others include two times Boston Marathon champion Moses Tanui and Commonwealth games gold medalist Japheth Kimutai. The County still basks in the athletics limelight as the recent past and current crop of world beating athletes like Pamela Jelimo, Richard Mateelong, Wilfred Bungei, Janet Chepkosgei and Super Henry Rono, Kenya Paralympian Henry Kirwa, among many others, hail from Nandi.

1. Swift: Benjamin Kogo won gold at the first All-Africa Games held in 1965 in Brazzaville. He is also a bronze medalist from the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

2. My Story: Benjamin Kogo speaks to Kass TV’s “Hall of Fame” program producers. Catch the stories of former world beating, record breaking athletes on Kass TV every Thursday at 7:30pm

 3. Kenyan Style: Benjamin Kogo flies high in 3000m steeplechase action. He is silver medalist from 1968 Summer Olympics, in Mexico City. The event was won by his fellow Kenyan, Amos Biwott.