Double-gold Olympic legend Keino tips Ugandan athletes

Jun 28, 2011

CLOSE to 100 Ugandan athletes representing 21 different sporting disciplines thronged Grand Imperial Hotel on Saturday to catch a glimpse of two-time Olympic gold medalist Kipchoge Keino at the inaugural Athletes Forum.

By Usher Komugisha

CLOSE to 100 Ugandan athletes representing 21 different sporting disciplines thronged Grand Imperial Hotel on Saturday to catch a glimpse of two-time Olympic gold medalist Kipchoge Keino at the inaugural Athletes Forum.

Also the president of the Kenya Olympic Committee, Keino spoke to the Ugandan athletes about his successful career and most importantly his administrative post-athletics role in society.

“As athletes, the sports world is very competitive so you have got to work hard to improve on the status quo and aim for the best,” an emphatic Keino told the athletes.

The 51 year-old Keino is remembered for winning the 1500m gold medal at the 1968 New Mexico Olympics and another gold in the 3000m steeplechase at the 1972 Munich Olympics as well as silver in the 1500m category. He retired in 1973.

Keino also emphasised the need for athletes to plan ahead to make sure that they have something to fall back to when their careers finally come to an end.

“Your athletics career cannot last forever. At a certain point you will have to retire, so you have to have something to fall back to,” he said.

Keino has started an athletics academy in his home town of Eldoret, Kip Keino Primary School and a secondary school is under construction. The Kipchoge Keino stadium is also named after him.


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