Uganda is celebrating after Kiprotich, 23, managed to save the country by winning a gold medal during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics 2012 Kiprotich was born in Kapchorwa in 1989. He discovered his talent way back in primary school. Kiprotich is a prison warden at Uganda prisons.
“The smile broke out across Stephen Kiprotich’s face in the final few metres as the sacrifices he has made for his athletics career came to rich fruition in London. The Kenyans thought they had it won but it was not to be. Kiprotich crossed the line with the flag of Uganda over his shoulders. He ran the race of his life.”
Stephen Kiprotich, 23, ran 23 miles with 33 turns. He ran 4:53 per mile. He finished the 23 miles in two hours, eight minutes and one second – 26 seconds ahead of silver medalist Abel Kirui, the defending world champion from Kenya who clocked 2:08:27.
Talking about his win, Kiprotich said, “I could not believe when I was winning. When I cross the line, I believe it.”Kiprotich’s Manager, Jos Hermens said of his win, “All of a sudden he just took off. I honestly didn’t know he had that kind of power.” Over joyed, Kiprotich kissed the Uganda flag and knelt down and prayed.Kiprotich trains in Kenya Emmanuel Mutai who came 17th. “I saw him coming like a cheetah.
It was very hard to control this kind of move,” Kirui said. At the 25-mile mark, Kiprotich’s lead was 20 seconds over Kirui, and 22 over Kipsang. He kept on pushing, looking over his shoulder, dumping an occasional cup of water over his head. Hermens, who also manages Kirui, couldn’t get over how the race had turned out, and the strength Kiprotich had summoned. Someone asked Stephen Kiprotich about being overlooked by almost everybody. “It means a lot to be unknown. Now I am known. I’m happy,” he said. posted Sandra birungi.
From: BBC