Busiest day ever for Kiprotich

Aug 16, 2012

Stephen Kiprotich had his busiest Monday ever this week, a day after he stunned the world by winning the marathon gold on the final day of the 2012 Olympics.

By Louis Jadwong

Stephen Kiprotich had his busiest Monday ever this week, a day after he stunned the world by winning the marathon gold on the final day of the 2012 Olympics.

From an interview at the CNN base just outside the Olympic stadium, he dashed to have prayers with Kingdom Love – a Christian community based in Forest Gate, East London. He then rushed to the Uganda High Commission where yet another group of UK-based Ugandans awaited.

From Uganda House, he went straight to Nile Bar and Restaurant on West Green Road, where another party organized by a group of UK-based Ugandans went late into the night.

It was at the Forest Gate gathering that it dawned on Team Uganda that the life of Kiprotich would never be the same.

A bouncer had to be called in to control the Christians whose mood was so ecstatic that it bordered on the unruly! Former presidential candidate Samuel Lubega was among the Christians.

Kiprotich had earlier narrated to the Christians his thoughts before and immediately after his historic win. What surprised him most, he said, were the many questions he immediately got from someone he did not know soon after he crossed the finish line.

“Someone asked me. Do you know what you have done? Do you know what you have done to Uganda? Do you know it is 40 years?”

"What do you mean 40 years?" he also asked. That is when he was told it was 40 years since Akii Bua won a gold medal.

Kiprotich remembers telling this person that he did not believe what had just happened.

“Even today when I stand here, I still don’t believe myself. I think it is someone else,” he said, amid chants of Hallelujah.

“Thanks for your prayers. I did not know there were other Ugandans in London. I thought it is only Herbert (Magombe) who was this end,” he admitted.

Magombe, a former national 800m runner, was Team Uganda’s UK based attaché.

Before the marathon, he also had a dream in which he saw himself arriving to compete at the marathon 15 minutes late. " I asked to be allowed to compete."

When he woke up, he felt exhausted. " It was like I had been running in my sleep. That is when I had a feeling something good will happen."

Kiprotich was invited to the celebration by Pastor Elly (Elly Kironde Muwanguzi) of the Kingdom Love Ministries.

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The London-based pastor had a week earlier prayed for Team Uganda to recover after the shock of Moses Kipsiro falling and ending up 10th in the 10,000m final.

Kipsiro got a bruise on his right hand, and was feeling pain in the shoulders and back as he was stepped on as he fell. Uganda travelled with medical doctor James Sekajugo and physiotherapist Michael Aleku but did not travel with a psychologist.

In addition to the prayers, Pastor Elly stepped into that role very well.

“You are all champions,” he told the athletes. “ God has a plan for each of you, all you have to do is believe,” he said as he encouraged the team.

“See yourselves as champions because the Lord is on your side. Do not fear anybody and do not be discouraged.”

Using Uganda's motto, “ For God and my Country,” Pastor Elly said Ugandans have always put God first, and therefore “you will not leave here without medals. ”

“Amen” said the team.

Pastor Elly had a dramatic Olympics and was bitten by the athletics bug after he met Team Uganda.

The Ugandan team returned home Wednesday morning to a heroic welcome including breakfast with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Museveni admitted Uganda's team was not as well prepared as it should for an international meet of this kind, and said "God gave us this gold medal."

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