Kenya is renowned for producing some of the world's top track athletes. There is no other nation which has been able to match Kenya's consistent ability to produce champions in long distance races. The mystery of Kenyan athletes is heightened by the statistic that 80 percent of all international athletes come from one ethnic group, the kalenjin.
The dominance of the Kalenjin athletes is traced back to the 1968 Mexico Olympics when a renowned hero, Kipchoge Keino won a gold medal in 1500 metres and a silver in the 5000 metres race.
Kalenjin prowess on the track has trigger scientists and sports gurus to propose all sorts of explanations.
David Epstein who is sports editor at sports illustrated and an author of the book, The Sport Gene, step in to research about this ethnic group.
Epstein establish that Kalenjins posses one aspect of innate biology; shape of their bodies. Kalenjin have particularly thin ankles and calves. Epstein says this is important in running because legs is like a pendulum. The more weight you have farther away from your centre of gravity, the more difficult it is to swing.
He says if you were to measure everyone's ankles and calves before the race, you will predict, statistically, who is likely to win.
John Manners a retired journalist who had speciality in covering the exploits of African runners, says the Kalenjin circumcision teaches them to withstand pressure and tolerate pain. The initiates are exposed to painful process which teaches them to endure pain and is actually great training for a sport like running where pushing through pain is also fundamental success.
Some scientists have attributed the success to high altitude, training high and living high. The Great Rift Valley where Kalenjin live lie in high altitude of about 2000 to 2500 metres above the sea level. At high altitude there is low oxygen, making training intensity strenuous. Those who train at high altitude find it easy to compete at low altitude where there is high pressure.
It is reported that Kalenjin athletes developed high maximal oxygen uptake as a result of walking and running from an early age, which is ultimately contributed to exceptional endurance running at later stage in life.
Some studies says Kalenjins are endowed with proper running genes. They say Kalenjin possess a unique running genes which is inherited from the maternal parent and is used in evaluating how species or different population are related in the course of evaluation.