Faith Kipyegon, Mary Moraa among Kenyan heroes set to be feted at Mashujaa Day celebrations

© Erick Baraza.

ATHLETICS Faith Kipyegon, Mary Moraa among Kenyan heroes set to be feted at Mashujaa Day celebrations

Joel Omotto 08:00 - 20.10.2023

Multiple world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and world 800m champion Mary Moraa are among Kenyan sporting heroes past and present set to be honoured on Mashujaa Day.

Multiple world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, world 800m champion Mary Moraa, Tokyo Marathon winner Rosemary Wanjiru, and world 800m silver medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi are among Kenyan athletes past and present set to feted at the Mashujaa Day celebrations on Friday.

Kipeygon, who won gold in 1,500m and 5,000m at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and also broke three world records (1,500m, mile, and 5,000) leads a stellar list of Kenyan sporting heroes who are set to be honoured on a day the country celebrates its heroes from various sectors.

Commonwealth Games champion Moraa, and Wanyonyi, who also claimed the 2023 Diamond League Trophy, are joined on the list as well as Wanjiru, who also came second at the 2023 Berlin Marathon adding, onto her win in Tokyo.

They are joined by World Cross-Country champion Beatrice Chebet, who also won bronze in 5,000m at the Worlds, besides claiming gold over the distance at the World Running Championships in Riga, Latvia in October.

Stephen Waweru, founder member and leader of planet deaf football in Kibera, which has empowered children who are hard of hearing, will also be honoured.

Kenya’s sports legends who are on the list include; the 1999 All Africa Games champion in 400m Kennedy Ochieng, 1997 Africa Taekwondo champion Ronald Lukalo, Max Muniafu, the former Kenya 15s captain who was part of the first Kenya Sevens team to the Hong Kong Sevens in 1986 and basketball legend Kennedy Ondieki.

Boxing promoter Franklyne Imbenzi, wheelchair tennis star Jane Ndenga, former Kenya cricket international Joseph Oduol, 1997 Commonwealth handball champion Nixon Oyaro, 1987 Africa boxing champion Maurice Maina, multiple Paralympics champion Henry Kirwa, 1990 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist in netball Dorothy Omondi and Kenya tennis legend Paul Wekesa.

Amputee football, wheelchair basketball and para swimming champion Dalmas Otieno, Bernard Kibet, who was fifth at the 2023 World Cross-Country Championships, are also on the list.