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Pulse Sports highlights the Kenyan athletes who have inked money-minting sponsorship deals with top brands in recent months.
A number of Kenyan athletes have managed to attract sponsorship from various brands as a result of their impressive performances over the years and the trend has continued in recent months.
Brand endorsement is one of the ways athletes make money from their careers and others even rake in more from sponsorship compared from what they earn from the sport.
Pulse Sports highlights some of Kenya’s athletes who have recently signed mega endorsement deals.
Eliud Kipchoge
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The marathon GOAT does not just rake in big bucks from winning major marathons but also makes a significant amount from his endorsement deals.
Kipchoge has a long-term partnership with kit maker Nike who reward him significantly whether he wins a race or not.
Athletes who partner with Nike for their own collections are entitled to a share of sales, making it lucrative venture for Kipchoge.
Kipchoge has also had a long running partnership with Isuzu which saw the vehicle manufacturer launch a D-Max pickup featuring an inscription referencing his 1:59 Challenge when he became the first man to run a marathon under two hours in October 2019.
Only 159 such vehicles were created, with each costing Ksh9 million with Kipchoge driving home the first one. The deal was expanded in May 2023 with the launch of a special limited-edition Isuzu D-Max pickup.
In January 2023, Kipchoge sealed a lucrative deal with Tecno, a popular smartphone brand in Kenya. He was unveiled as the brand ambassador for the Tecno Phantom X2 with an agreement that will see one per cent of the device’s sales go to the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.
In June 2023, Kipchoge was unveiled as the brand ambassador for the Mozilla Africa Mradi Program with the partnership aimed at promoting a reading culture among Kenyan youth, one of the main pillars of the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.
Ferdinand Omanyala
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Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has been a huge draw for brands and currently has multiple sponsorship deals.
Top of Omanyala’s list of endorsements is his deal with car manufacturer Toyota.
Omanyala announced a four-year ambassadorial deal with CFAO Motors Kenya (formerly Toyota Kenya) to promote their Toyota Hilux Double Cab pickup last December and has wasted no time in popularising the brand.
The Commonwealth champion has since been making promotional posts, associating the car with pace and power which he is known for.
Omanyala also has a partnership with Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp which he signed in November 2021 while his high affinity with brands also sees him promote kit maker Adidas, Aids health Foundation and Visa.
Hellen Obiri
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Two-time Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri signed a deal with Shokz, a company known for its open-ear headphones with patented bone conduction technology, last month.
The partnership will see Obiri as a brand advocate and highlight why Shokz headphones are perfect for runners and athletes who want all-day comfort and their ears open to environmental surroundings.
Obiri also has a lucrative partnership with Zurich-based performance brand On which is now her official kit sponsor since January 2022.
The company has taken charge of her training since she moved to the US at Colorado-based On Athletics Club under coach Dathan Ritzenhein.
“At On, we look for not only the fastest athletes, but the ones who truly embody the power of the human spirit. The versatility of Obiri's success in both track and road, proves there is so much more to come, and we are thrilled to be a part of her next journey,” On Co-Founder Olivier Bernhard said when announcing the partnership.
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