Kiprotich ready to defend Olympic and World titles

Galaxy International School, Jinja campus were crowned champions in the senior category while hosts GEMS Cambridge took the juniors’ title.

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Galaxy International School, Jinja campus were crowned champions in the senior category while hosts GEMS Cambridge took the juniors’ title.

KAMPALA- World and Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich let out some of his secrets to success at the weekend, telling a group of students that working extra hard, discipline and determination have propelled him to the pinnacle of marathon running.

“Every week I train for 195 kilometres,” Kiprotich said while making a presentation during the Olympic Values Symposium at GEMS Cambridge International School, Butabika.

The symposium, the first of its kind in the country, was organised by the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) Commission on Culture, Legacy and Olympic Education.
Veteran administrator Gabriel Oloka heads the commission with Isma Iga as his secretary.

“With this kind of training, it means I can run to Europe and return in a just a month,” he joked, sending the students from over 15 schools into bouts of laughter.

Kiprotich (pictured) is approaching a crucial stage of his career as he has to defend the world title in August and the Olympic gold next year.

But like he showed while setting a new national record (2:06:33) for second place at the Tokyo Marathon last month, Kiprotich told the students he is not ready to let his piece of jewels go.

“I know somebody out there is ready to snatch my gold,” wearing his two medals in the neck, Kiprotich said. “But I won’t let that happen. These medals belong to Uganda; they must stay here. They are ours.”

At GEMS Cambridge, Kiprotich allowed the excited students to touch his medals and take pictures with him.

He signed a couple of autographs before having lunch with the group. He concluded his visit by awarding prizes to the best performers in last month’s Olympic Values Debate Championship.

Galaxy International School, Jinja campus were crowned champions in the senior category while hosts GEMS Cambridge took the juniors’ title.

Kwezi Kitariko got the biggest applause from fellow GEMS students and her watching parents when she was announced the best Olympic Values essay writer in the Elementary Section.

UOC president William Blick said the Olympic Movement was only getting stronger with such activities.

DISTANCE COVERED BY KIPROTICH
Daily – 27.8km
Weekly – 195km
Monthly – 780km
Year – 9360km (training only)
-9486km (including at least three marathon competitions)