More Kiprotich cash flows in

By Conan Businge       

Stephen Kiprotich, Uganda’s only 2012 London Olympic medalist, has received $335 (sh887,500) more; under the Vision Group cash-prize campaign.

 This comes a few weeks after Vision Group handed over to Kiprotich a cheque of sh300m.

 He has now received an additional $185 from Moses and Lilian Kyobe, and $170 from Ugandans in Boston via Radio Uganda Boston.

Kiprotich, Uganda’s first Olympic champion in 40 years was rewarded at a grand function at Vision Group headquarters at the end of last month.

Companies and individuals responded to a fundraising call by Uganda’s daily–– New Vision to thank Kiprotich for his outstanding feat.

Vision Group’s chief executive Robert Kabushenga launched the campaign minutes after Kiprotich raced to a gold medal in the Olympic marathon on August 12.

Several companies and individuals responded with not only cash offers, but pledges and offers in kind.

Kiprotich produced a devastating kick with 7km remaining to kill off any Kenyan hopes of a victory, going on to time 2hr 08min 01sec on the spectacular marathon course around the streets of central London in hot and humid conditions.

Kiprotich’s gold was Uganda’s second, the last coming 40 years ago when John Akii-Bua won gold in the 400m hurdles at the Munich Games.

President Yoweri Museveni opened up the offers with a sh200m cheque for Kiprotich, whose request for a house for his parents was also immediately answered in the affirmative by the head of state.

Uganda Prisons, where Kiprotich was a warder when he strode to gold, also promoted him to the rank of Assistant Superintendent.

Uganda had, until Kiprotich’s amazing run, put up a poor show at the games of the 30th Olympiad in London.

The medal was Uganda’s first since 1996 when quarter miler Davis Kamoga won bronze at the 1996 games in Atlanta.