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China becomes new trophy hunting ground for African marathoners

Date:2019-12-13  Hits:103

Africans have long dominated marathons and road running competitions since the 1960 Rome Olympics.

Kenyan runners have enjoyed unparalleled dominance in distance running events, from 800 meters to marathon. Kenyan marathon runners currently hold 11 of the 12 fastest times set worldwide.

Today, road races are now acting as ambassadors for athletics in Africa, giving a new ray of hope to the vulnerable in the society, especially in places wher the sport is struggling.

However, the emergence of China as a true giant in road running is seeing a change in the tide as Africa athletes opt for the East at the expense of Western Europe and the Americas.

The burgeon is quickly spreading in camps in Kenya and Ethiopia, and one of them is Tao camp.

Athletics Kenya (AK) Vice-chairman in charge of competition Paul Mutwii says the Chinese are slowly gaining their footing in representing the interest of East Africa athletes on the global stage.

"China is now in Kenya for business. It is a mutual agreement wher athletes enter races in China, and their tickets, accommodation and food paid by their agents and all they need to do is to run and win. Then they share the prize money, which sometimes is around 40,000 U.S. dollars," said Mutwii.

Tao Camp, one of the leading Chinese athletes' management company, today has more than 140 elite runners from Kenya and Ethiopia.

In 2015, Chinese Athletic Association's records showed that there were 134 marathons held in China. In 2016 that figure stood at 328 and it has since been increasing.

Chemabwai Sang, a retired middle-distance runner from Kenya says the entry of China is shaping a new edge in athletics.

"Before in our days, Kenyans had very little information about races in China. Besides, there were no agents promoting China, and so Kenyan athletes only knew of European meets. That is changing with the entry of China agents, working with local coaches here in Eldoret," said Sang.

New York marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor says China is waking up as a true giant in marathon and road running.

Kamworor won gold for Kenya in 2015, World Cross Country Championship in Guiyang, China.

"Kenya has so much talent. Upcoming athletes, who have not made a name in Europe, find China as an alternative and this is boosting the level of competition in China. Soon top runners will be starting in China before considering other races, especially if they improve on the prize money," said Kamowror. "Marathons in China have opened more opportunities for Kenyans."

China has also had its national athletics team train in Eldoret, especially the cross country team. Italian coach Renato Canova, who lives and trains in Iten, was behind the project to train 16 members of China's national women's middle- and long-distance running team, in the early stages of preparation for the 2015 World Athletics Championships, which was held in Beijing.

In Eldoret, a town in western Kenya, there are over 300,000 runners. To them, the running industry can easily rival local farming or small-scale manufacturing sectors.

The city alone has produced a disproportionate number of long-distance legends including Eliud Kipchoge, who became the first man to run the marathon in less than two hours at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria in October.

Kipchoge clocked 1:59.40 while on the same weekend Brigid Kosgei ran at a sheen breaking speed to set a women's marathon record of 2:14.04 to break a 16-year-old record that had been set by Britain's Paula Radcliffe.

Road running and marathon is the next big thing. There are limited races on the track and the marathons are now more lucrative with individual races bringing in excess of 25 million shillings (250,000 U.S. dollars) alongside the appearance fees.

Besides, the athletes have signed lucrative contracts with sportswear manufacturing firms like Li-Ning of China, Fila, Nike, Adidas and Puma to wear their prototype shows to promote the sales.

Kipchoge and Kosgei lead a horde of Kenyan runners and by extension Africa who have made a name and a living out of road racing.

The success of these athletes is major news all over the world and often inspires other athletes from similar backgrounds to try to do the same.

"In Kenya and Ethiopia and other major athletics and running countries, people are using the sport to get out of circumstances, to use their talent to improve their lives and their lifestyles," says former New York and Boston marathon winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot.


 
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