NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 20 – Kericho Green Stadium has been renamed Wilson Kiprugut, who holds the distinction of being the first Kenyan to win an Olympic medal since the country’s inaugural participation in the Olympic Games in 1956.
The announcement was made Friday during the 60th Mashujaa Day celebrations at the stadium.
“Allow me to celebrate Kiprugut Chumo, the first Kenyan to win an Olympic medal, by renaming the Kericho Green Stadium after him,” he said.
Wilson Kiprugut’s athletic achievements are a source of pride for Kenya. He clinched a bronze medal in the 800 meters at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, a feat he followed up with a silver medal in the same event at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.
Kiprugut’s journey into athletics commenced while he was still a student at Kaptebeswet Primary School and Sitotwet Intermediate School in the 1950s. His talent was soon recognized, and he was scouted by the Kenyan Army during the 1958 East African Championships.
He also participated in the 1962 Commonwealth Games, held in Perth, Australia, before retiring from competitive athletics in 1969. Following his retirement, Kiprugut continued to contribute to the world of sports as a coach and fitness instructor within the Kenyan army.
Wilson Kiprugut, a prominent figure in Kenyan sports, received recognition as the 2010 Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year and was honored with the ‘Hall of Fame’ award. His passing in 2022 at the age of 84 marked a somber moment for his home county of Kericho.
During the Mashujaa Day celebrations, President Ruto also paid tribute to Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon, an exceptional entrepreneur whose life story embodies the concept of bottom-up success. Ruto shared Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon’s inspiring journey, highlighting his rise from being a class 3 dropout to establishing the Kipchimchim Group of Companies, a business conglomerate with interests spanning various industries and providing employment to thousands of Kenyans.
Ruto acknowledged Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon’s significant contributions and noted, “Before his untimely death, he was working at the West Valley Sugar Company, which began milling operations last week. Farewell Mzee Samuel Kipsoi Ngetich Chepsetyon.”
