Confusion as Ababu, Gachagua scramble to receive world record breaker Faith Kipyegon at JKIA
There was confusion as a host of senior government officials including Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto scrambled to make plans to meet world record breaker Faith Kipyegon on June 13, 2023.
The 29-year old athlete was returning home after her impressive performances in Europe.
In separate communications to the media, both politicians gave three different timings of when they intended on receiving Ms Kipyegon upon her return home before last minute changes were made.
In the first media alert to media houses, CS Namwamba invited the media to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) where he intended on receiving Ms Kipyegon at 7:30am at the Presidential Pavilion.
Later, a media invite from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s office was released, inviting the media to the JKIA as well AT 8:00AM where he also intended on receiving Ms Kipyegon at the same venue as Namwamba.
The DP requested the media to provide coverage.
However, a last minute change was sent to media houses, saying that Ms Kipyegon would now be celebrated at State House Nairobi at 7:30am where she would meet with DP Gachagua and President William Ruto.
This scrambling to meet the 1,500m and 5,000m world records breaker Ms Kipyegon, 29, left much to be desired as it remains unknown where she will begin her early morning and end it before retiring to her home for rest as she had been invited to two places at three different times.
Ms Kipyegon broke two world records on the track within one week.
On June 3, 2023, she set a new world record on Friday night after clocking 3:49:11 at the Florence Diamond League in Italy. The previous record of 3:50:07 had been set by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in 2015.
“This is amazing. I dedicate this world record to all mothers and knowing that everything is possible. I told them already, going on maternity leave and coming back, you will be stronger than before. And this is what I’ve shown them, that everything is possible,” Kipyegon said after the race.
On June 10, 2023, she once again broke a world record in the Paris Diamond League where she ran 5,000m in 14:05:20, beating the previous world record breaker Letesenbet Gidey’s (Ethiopia) 14:-6:62, to become the new champion. Ms Gidey broke this record in July 2020 in Valencia, Spain.
She is expected to be Kenya’s main candidates for Gold medal in both races at both the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest and 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Also read: Matatus on the spot for traffic snarl ups in Nairobi