Kenya awaits Olympic 800m star
16/9/2008 18:23
A huge party is awaiting Olympic 800 meters champion and IAAF jackpot
winner Pamela Jelimo who is due back tonight.
Athletics Kenya (AK) said the
grand reception will start in Nairobi and climax at her home in Koro village in
Kapsabet town will set-off to celebrate the achievements of the 800m runner who
has blown away world athletics like a tropical storm.
"We congratulate her
for crowning the World Athletics Final with a win. It is gratifying that Kenyans
have done well this season and that was exemplified in Stuttgart," outgoing
Athletics Kenya (AK) chairman, Isaiah Kiplagat told reporters late
yesterday.
Kiplagat said plans are underway to hold momentous reception at
Jelimo's Koyo village home in Kapsabet which will be led by Minister of Sport
and Youth Affairs Hellen Sambili and her Higher Education counterpart Sally
Kosgei and is expected to include 2, 000 guests.
She is expected to land at
Eldoret airport at 10 am (1900 GMT) on Thursday and then proceed to her home for
the celebrations.
The 18-year-old will arrive straight from the World
Athletics Final (WAF) in Stuttgart, Germany where she capped an unbelievable
track season with her 12th victory in the 800 meters race in championship record
time of 1:56.23 that saw her pocket another Sh2 million (US$28,000).
Jelimo
won the IAAF US$1 million Golden Jackpot after winning all six Golden League
meetings races.
She won the continental title in Addis Ababa setting a
stadium record of 1:58.70 to beat Maria Mutola and a week later she clocked
1:55.76 run in Hengelo.
Jelimo's proud mother, Rodah Keter, arrived in
Nairobi on Sunday to receive her gold-laden daughter who has turned into a
global icon.
"She has requested the reception to be low key in Nairobi (in
Nairobi) and the big party to be in her village. Jelimo will be flown to Eldoret
on Thursday for the celebrations," Kiplagat added.
The AK chairman explained
that the Rift Valley Provincial administration was heavily involved in providing
security for the runner and she would be escorted in a convoy from Eldoret
Airport to her village.
Jelimo, crowned her breakthrough year with a course
record of 1: 56.23 at the World Athletics Tour season ender on Sunday for her
maiden WAF title.
"Today I did not have any tactics," Jelimo told IAAF. "I am
a sprinter. So I can always rely on my final speed."
"I guess that I have
even more talent than I showed in 2008. Next year I want to run even
faster."
She made her golden league debut in the German capital Berlin where
she dipped under 1:55 for the first time in what was apparently just her fifth
outing over the distance, clocking 1:54. 99 to displace Mutola of Mozambique as
the African record holder.
Xinhua
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