On Saturday Kenya celebrated a milestone achievement by Olympic Marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge after running under 2 hours in Vienna, Austria.
Despite the fact that Kipchoge broke it record, it will not however, be recognised by IAAF since he was 'aided' given that he had many pacemakers than required among others.
For decades, Kenya has undoubtedly dictated track races, with the recent World Championship performance in Doha stamping the country's authority.
Throughout, the country has produced a golden generation; from Kipchoge Keino to Eliud Kipchoge, from Nyantika Mayioro to David Rudisha among others.
Conspicuously, Naftali Temu, a former KDF officer who died in 2003, remains of of athletes whose national record is yet to be broken by a local athlete.
In 1968, Temu, locally known as 'Temu Olympic' won gold medal in 10,000 meters at Olympic games in Mexico City. Since then, no Kenyan has managed the same in Olympic game.
NOCK chairman Paul Tergat came close during his peak but lost to Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele among others. The record still remains intact.
"Yes I know it was a huge record but there is nothing to celebrate about it. Those days they ran to protect the country's image and not for money," one of his sons Jackson Temu said in a past interview.
"I think had it been today, my mother won't be suffering in hospital. He's sick and needs medication. But there is nothing we can do," he added in reference to Josephene Temu.
After the victory, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta instructed that Temu to be recruited to KDF where he served until his retirement. He was also given a piece of land at Nyaronge in Borabu.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga recognized the rare achievements recently during the burial of Dr Hezron Manduku in Nyaribari Masaba.
#hivisasaoriginal