Bravo Stephen Kiprotich for doing us proud

Aug 14, 2012

WE can lift sports to another level. But let his victory not cloud our thinking that sportsmen and women in Uganda are doing better

By Stephen Asiimwe

IT was in 1972 when Akibua won the gold medal. 40 years down the road another great son, a prison warder has made us proud and won another gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic in the last two hours to end Olympics.

On the continent, it was either  Ethiopians or Kenyans that have dominated athletics  especially long distance  for decades, Stephen Kiprotich although  he did not break the record but he was the best in the world even beating the fellow Africans  who had dominated long distance for decades.

This is the great gift to Ugandans as we celebrate 50 years of independence. There has been what people call stereo type that probably athletics is “Black” because for decades it has been Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya and now Uganda. Stephen may have removed that stereotype and confirmed it last Sunday, when he won the race in two hours, eight minutes and one second.

I was wondering how we could have welcomed Ugandan officials, who were more than players at Entebbe Airport. We must be a factory that churns out the world class; we should remove the idea that we can’t make it.

If we reduce quarrels, arrange the management of sports in Uganda, even Uganda Cranes can shine. Companies should continue to support our sports gurus; they can market Uganda.

Yes there is speculation according to some studies that there is “unique running gene” and this possibly has been assessed by studying the mitochondria DNA (Mt DNA) which is inherited from material parent and is used in evaluating how species or different populations are related in the course of evolution. But whether the research on a specific tribe or race is true.

What we have to do is tap this talent, make Stephen Kiprotich and others our ambassadors. We can lift sports to another level. But let his victory not cloud our thinking that sportsmen and women in Uganda are doing better. It is actually through hardship, resilience and patriotism that Stephen Kiprotich being a prisons officer had to severely accept like his colleague Akibua did.

There is a need to strategically investigate sports square? While watching Kiprotich crossing the finishing line, the man looked stronger for more other four miles to maximise his stamina. Like politicians, sports also requires a person who is patient, disciplined and with high quality of leadership.

This character explains, despite all odds, the man managed to put a smile on the entire fans on the continent. We thank him, his coach and the people of Sebei sub region for nurturing such a young dynamic man to this moment.

As they say, success has many fathers while failure is an orphan, I am appealing to sports lovers in this country to put order on the leadership of sports, allow players to ask questions, this is a democratic country, check the players welfare. Sport is about psychology, physiology and environment.

When a sportsman is not motivated, it is by miracle to get results. A sport is employment; we have an army of youth who are not employed. How many people will Kiprotich now employ? How many contacts has he made? For the KCCA, we need Kiprotich Street immediately, remove our former tormentors from these streets and name our great hero of our generation.

You have inspired, looking at your humble background thank also the leadership of prisons. As Roosevelt once said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Before you left for Olympics, you assured Ugandans that you will be among the best three; your dream has been fulfilled.  

Bravo!  Aluta Continua!

The writer is a Pan African

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