By Dorothy Musyoka
President William Ruto has today rewarded cash prizes to Kenyan athletes following their victory of winning 11 medals in Paris 2024 Olympics as announced by the government.
Speaking during a breakfast with the Kenyan winners at the Eldoret State Lodge on Thursday, President Ruto praised the team for their historic achievement and for flying the Kenyan flag high during the global competition.
“Your victories are just not medals that you carry, they are symbols of our national character, a testament to what we can achieve when we believe in ourselves,” said President Ruto.
“Everytime we saw the kenyan flag,every time the national anthem was played we felt on top of the world,” added the head of state.
The head of state also called for joint efforts to unlock the potential in athletics with all stakeholders to elevate
“As a government at the national and county levels, we must scale up our deliberate collaboration with all stakeholders such as sport federations to develop a sports policy frame work that will adress these gaps and stop what is going on so that we can progress our sport ecosystem to where we want it to be,” noted President Ruto.
Gold medallists Beatrice Chebet (10,000 and 5,000 metres), Faith Kipyegon (1500 metres), and Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800 metres) received Ksh.3 million.
Faith Kipyegon and Ronald Kwemoi were also awarded Ksh.2 million for winning silver in the 5,000-meter track race.
Bronze medallists Mary Moraa (800m), Abraham Kibiwott Faith Cherotich Benson Kipruto and Hellen Obiri (marathon) each received Ksh.1 million.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua applauded the athletes for maintaining the dignity of the country pointing out that olympics is a unifying moment for kenyans.
“We really want to thank our athletes for the dignity they have accorded this great country.I want to encourage you to continue carrying the name of our country high,” said DP Gachagua.
The DP has also urged the medalists to invest appropriately in the cash prizes rewarded to the by the government for a better future after their retirement.
“This sports come with some little bit money please invest in it well,so you can live a good well after you retire,” Gachagua added.
Kenya was ranked 17th among countries with the most Olympic medals, and first in Africa.