Kericho Green Stadium renamed Kiprugut Chumo Stadium

Kericho Governor Prof. Paul Chepkwony has renamed Kericho Green Stadium to Wilson Kiprugut Chumo Green Stadium, in honour of the legendary athlete who won Kenya the first Olympic medal in 1964, Tokyo, Japan.

The announcement was made on Wednesday with the Governor also appointing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 800m silver medalist Ferguson Rotich the Goodwill Ambassador for the fight against drugs and substance abuse in Kericho County.

Rotich clocked 1:45.23 to bag silver in the two-lap race, completing a 1-2 for Kenya after Emmanuel Korir struck gold in 1:45.06.

Speaking at the County Headquarters in Kericho, the Governor challenged youths in the county to approach sports activities as income generating opportunities, and benefit from the infrastructure his government is putting up to enhance the industry.

“As a county we have sports funds within the department of Education and Sports, and our focus is to help the youth who are very enthusiastic about sports –both ball games and athletics.

“In athletics we have endeavored to upgrade the Kericho Green Stadium, which we are also going to take recognition of Kiprugut Chumo after winning the 1964 and we will be naming it Kiprugut Chumo Stadium,” the Governor declared.

On his part, newly appointed Rotich after his arrival from Japan encouraged talented youths from the county to exploit them by meaningfully engaging in sports.

“If you go into sports with a mentality to excel nationally or even globally, you will achieve it provided you work hard and keep the discipline. It is unfortunate there are talented youths who would be world beaters but have not thought of it that way. Others have a dream but have made no step towards it, while it is very possible,” he advised.

The 2013 IAAF World Relays gold medalist will now be the champion and voice against the growing menace of substance abuse among the youth in the county.

Rotich at the same time appealed to the county government of Kericho to construct and improve the training facilities in the county so as to enable the athletes to train in an enabling environment.