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Many athletes faced with the daunting task of defending their world titles suffer from anxiety ahead of the big races.
However, reigning World Marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui who is preparing to defend his title at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, says there is nothing to worry about.
There was no sign of anxiety and fear as he trained on Saturday in Keringet. Kirui expressed his desire to retain the title in Doha on October 6.
At the bustling Keringet Township along the Molo Olenguruone road, Kirui easily mingles with the locals.
If he is not playing hide and seek game with children, he is listening to their songs in the muddy and littered pathways or taking tea with fellow athletes at Global Sports Communication camp after a morning workout.
He is a down to earth athlete. He has temporarily left his posh mansion at his Seguton home and opted to rent a single room at Keringet trading centre from where he operates as he trains with budding athletes.
As he drives the latest Toyota V8, Kieui occasionally stops and jumps out of his sleek vehicle to buy roasted maize. Not many recognise him.
Interestingly, what many notices is his sleek state of the art vehicle.
And as he drives through a weather beaten earth road that leads to his palatial home in Nyota ward in Kuresoi South, Kirui occasionally acknowledges greetings from farmers and boda boda riders along the way.
The big race ahead of him in Doha has not distracted his farming instincts as he feeds his pedigree cattle soon after arriving home.
“Besides athletics, my other passion is farming,” he says as his eight-year-old son Godfrey Kiprotich pushes the heavy metal gate.
“All you see here are not inherited from my dad. I sweated for it. I want my children and all visitors to read it and pick a life message out of the writings,” explains Kirui.
This is what makes the 26-year-old Kirui, who is the current London Marathon champion and former Boston Marathon winner so unique.
He has also earned respect of budding stars whom he trains in the hilly Keringet which is probably one of the best high altitude training area for athletes in Kenya as it raises up to 3,000 feet above sea level.
“He never chest thumps on his current and past glory,” said Stephen Kipkorir Kendogor whose specialty is 10,000m.
“He basks in greatness. Every athlete at Global Sports Communication Camp loves him,” says Patrick Kibet Koech who is a 3,000m runner.
Kirui personifies the humble star despite his enormous greatness and never calls attention to himself.
Athletics Kenya Nakuru branch secretary David Bii describes him as a down to earth athlete.
“He has rented a one-bedroom house because he wants to support and motivate young athletes,” says Bii who is also the chairman of AK Kuresoi South.
“Besides my three boys – Godwin Kimweno (10), Godfrey Kipkoech (8), Kevin Kipkoech (3) and my wife Caroline and my mum Jenifer Chepkwony, the locals are my greatest fans as,” says Kirui.
His mother says Kirui, who is the first born in a family of three girls and four boys, is a disciplined sportsman.
“I pray to God to give him strength so that he can win the race in Doha and bring back the trophy home,” says Jenifer.
His wife Caroline is equally elated that her husband is in good shape ready for the Doha race.
“I pray he brings the gold medal back home so that we celebrate together as a family,” said Caroline.
Caroline is the elder sister of Faith Chepng’etich, the current Olympic and World champion in women’s 1,500m race.
Unlike other top athletes, Kirui grants interviews without prior arrangements.
“I am ready for Doha, I want to defend my title,” says Kirui whose athletics motto is “there is no finishing line”.
“Every race to me is another finishing line ahead and Doha is no exception,” he adds.
He says he is familiar with the searing heat in Doha as he ran in the 3,000m steeplechase in the 2014 Diamond League where finished sixth.
“I will not be aiming to break the world record in such harsh conditions. I want to retain the title,” he said.
He advises young athletes to respect their coaches and embrace team work if they hope to succeed.
“When I started I bought a second hand running shoe for Sh500 which I used to wash at night. Today’s runners are lucky because athletes outside Kenya buy shoes and donate to them,” said Kirui.
He won 10,000m gold medal on his first ever intentional race in the 2011 Africa Under-20 championship in Botswana while his brother Gilbert Kirui clinched a gold medal in 3,000m steeple chase.
“This race was a turning point of my life. I have never looked back as the win opened windows of opportunities that have transformed my life,” says the alumni of Riruta Satellite Secondary School in Nairobi.
