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Kenyan Olympic marathon runners receive financial boost from National Olympic Committee Kenya

Kenyan Olympic marathon runners receive a financial boost from the national Olympic Committee. Meanwhile, the Japanese government declared that spectators are out of the Olympics, and the fall marathon calendar just got busier with Los Angeles's move to autumn for the first time in 35 years.

Christopher Kelsall

March 9, 2021

The National Olympics Committee of Kenya announced that additional support will be paid to marathon runners selected to compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

They will be provided with Sh125,000 ($1,140USD).

The money was presented to the team members Monday, March 8 to aid their training leading up to the event scheduled for this summer.

Eliud Kipchoge photo credit: NN Running Team

“We have to get going and the team needs motivation. As we wait for the government’s support, we decided to support the team with something small because time is running and we need to prepare ourselves,” shared committee General Manager Barnaba Korir.

The men’s team includes defending Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:39, WR), 2019 world bronze medallist Amos Kipruto (2:03:30), Boston Marathon winner Lawrence Cherono (2:03:04), and Vincent Kipchumba (2:05:09). Kipchumba finished second in London Marathon last year.

The women’s marathon team also includes world record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04, WR), world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich (2:17:08), 5,000m Olympics champion Vivian Cheruiyot (2:18:31), and world half marathon record holder Peres Jepchirchir (2:17:16).

The men’s team have run the 1st, 10th, 18th, and 116th fastest performances all-time. The women have run the 1st, 4th, 5th and 14th performances all-time.

The Tokyo Olympic marathons and racewalks will take place 800 kilometres north of Tokyo in Sapporo to avoid the potential heat. This was decided after the dangers of the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships marathon were run in extreme conditions send several athletes to the hospital.

Shoestrings: Meanwhile, the Japanese government has said that they cannot stage the Olympic Games with spectators from outside of Japan in attendance. However, a formal decision has not yet been declared. The Games are scheduled for July 23 to August 8, 2021, after being postponed from 2020. Although the IOC has kept 2020 in the name officially. The opening and closing ceremonies will also be staged without spectators.

The Los Angeles Marathon will now take place in the fall. Apparently, organisers have an adjusted course. The fall marathon schedule just got more crowded, which already includes Hamburg (Sept. 12), London (Oct. 3), Chicago (Oct. 10), Boston (Oct. 11), Paris (Oct. 17), Tokyo (Oct 17), Rotterdam (Oct. 24), New York (Nov. 7).