Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet left the Eldoret State Lodge with beaming smiles, having received substantial rewards from President William Ruto for their outstanding performances at the Olympic Games.
Kipyegon was awarded Sh5 million, with Sh3 million for her 1500m gold medal and Sh2 million for her 5,000m silver. Chebet, who secured two gold medals, walked away with Sh6 million. Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the 20-year-old Olympic champion in the men’s 800m, received Sh3 million. Bronze medalists were each rewarded with Sh1 million.
President Ruto hosted all Team Kenya athletes in Eldoret, the newly designated City of Champions, on Thursday morning to celebrate their success in Paris, where Kenya finished with 11 medals.
“As a government, we have made a commitment to always reward and celebrate our sportsmen when they excel. I am proud of your achievements and thank you for putting Kenya on the global map. Winning four gold medals and being the best in Africa is no small feat. Some countries left Paris with nothing,” President Ruto remarked.
He added, “We will always celebrate you when you do well. Look at what happened in Botswana—they celebrated just one gold medal. We don’t take this for granted.”
The Sports Ministry arranged for the entire Team Kenya contingent to be flown to Eldoret, with the celebration coinciding with the conferment of the region as Kenya’s newest city.
President Ruto emphasized the significance of hosting the event in Eldoret, stating, “It was only fitting that we do this in Eldoret on this day because this is the City of Champions. There is no better way to do it than with the actual champions.”
During the ceremony, Kipyegon, who captained Team Kenya in Paris, returned the national flag to President Ruto in a symbolic gesture, signifying the completion of their mission.
“As athletes, we are truly grateful for the support the government has provided. We were well taken care of and received everything we needed. The competition in Paris was tough, even I wondered if I could retain my 1500m title,” Kipyegon said, her joy evident.
