Kipyegon, Liverpool 7-0 Man United: 7 Sporting Events That Shook Kenya In 2023
From athletics to football, from winning bids to host international competitions to football results that set social media on fire.
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It would be an understatement to say that the year 2023 was an eventful one for sports lovers in Kenya following both local and international sports.
From athletics to football, from winning bids to host international competitions to football results that set social media on fire, the year 2023 saw sports take centre stage in the country, both offline and online.
Viral Tea takes a look at key sporting events that shook the whole of Kenya:
Faith Kipyegon's 3 World Records
In a matter of hours on Tuesday, December 12, Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon was feted with two awards for breaking three world records this year, two of which were set in one week.
The 29-year-old was named the Female World Athlete of the Year in track events during the 2023 World Athletics Awards and later conferred the highest civilian honour, the Elder of the Golden Heart (EGH) by President William Ruto.
Faith Kipyegon celebrates after breaking the world record during a Diamond League meet in Florence, Italy on June 2, 2023. /WORLD ATHLETICS
"Today, I have conferred upon our world-beating athlete Faith Kipyegon the status of Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart, the highest honour our country awards its citizens who illuminate the path of excellence," he stated while addressing the nation at Uhuru Gardens during the 60th Jamhuri Day celebrations.
Kipyegon had a successful 2023 which saw her break three world records; the world mile, 1500m race and 5000m race. The world record during the 5,000-meter race came at the Diamond League in Paris clocking 14 minutes, 5.20 seconds, a week after becoming the fastest woman ever over 1,500 meters in Florence.
She also won two world titles, that is, becoming the first woman to win both 1500m and 5000m titles in a single world championship competition.
On Friday, July 21, she ran 4:07.64 to obliterate the world mile record at the Monaco Diamond League.
Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United
If you're a Manchester United fan, this is one result that is guaranteed to haunt you for years to come.
Liverpool's massive 7-0 victory over Manchester United at Anfield in March this year was a once-in-a-lifetime result that will not be repeated, given that this ranks among the greatest results in this English Premier League (EPL) fixture.
Erik ten Hag's United were flying high after winning the League Cup at the time to end a six-year trophy drought but came crashing down to earth a week later when Liverpool handed the Old Trafford side their worst defeat in 92 years.
United has lost 7-0 on three previous occasions, the last time coming in 1931 against Wolverhampton. The score also eclipsed Liverpool’s previous best victory against United, which was a 7-1 win in 1895.
Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah all struck twice and Roberto Firmino scored the other, with six of the goals coming in an explosive second-half performance.
Kenya Wins Joint Bid To Host AFCON
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania won a joint bid to host the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in September, defying the likes of Senegal, Botswana and Egypt for the right to host the biggest football tournament in Africa.
Following this, the Ministry of Sports commenced plans to revamp three stadiums to meet international standards including Kasarani Stadium, Nyayo Stadium, and Kipchoge Keino Stadium (Eldoret) respectively in preparation for the tournament.
The government is also planning to build the Talanta Stadium at the Jamhuri Sports Grounds in Nairobi, a football-rugby-only stadium with a sitting capacity of 50,000.
"We will now mobilize every resource...every person and every sector to make sure that we deliver a world-class football event.
"We will make sure that whatever infrastructural facilities that are required will be made available to make sure that we move Kenya to the next level in our sports industry," President William Ruto spoke in reaction to the successful bid.
Arsenal Leading EPL For 248 Days- And Not Winning The League
Arsenal during the 2022/23 season set an unwanted EPL record by leading the Premier League table for 248 days, and not only failing to win it but losing it to reigning champions Manchester City.
The Gunners were in inspired form across the first three quarters of the season and, with most of the teams around them faltering, it seemed as though Arsenal were destined to end their nearly 20-year wait for the title.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates scoring against Arsenal in February 2023. /FILE
However, a slip-up in form heading into the final stretch of the season allowed Manchester City to climb back into the top spot, and a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on May 20, 2023, ultimately ensured Arsenal could no longer catch back up.
Not in the history of English top-flight football has any team been leading for so long without going on to win the whole thing.
In Kenya, talk of the 'elephant sitting on top of the tree' dominated social media platforms and offline, some Kenyans had printed shirts depicting the league table with Arsenal on top.
Among others that included phrases such as 'juu ya meza (top of the table)', the loss to Manchester City led to countless banter and memes targeting Arsenal fans who make up a majority of EPL fans in Kenya.
Kelvin Kiptum Breaks Eliud Kipchoge's World Record
Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum on October 8, 2023, set a new world record to win the Chicago Marathon, beating the world record set by legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge.
Kiptum finished at a time of 2:00:35, which was faster than Kipchoge's 2:01:09 set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon. This feat made Kiptum the first man in history to run an entire marathon and break the 2:01 mark, having only started running the marathon races a year ago.
On October 20, Kipchoge broke his silence regarding the exploits of Kiptum, stating "I was not surprised about [Kiptum] breaking the world record. I was happy to see the record being broken…I am looking forward to seeing records being broken because I have shown them the way."
Kipchoge had been facing surmountable pressure mostly from Kenyans who passionately followed him regarding Kiptum's performance in the Chicago Marathon.
The two are expected to go head to head at the 2024 Olympic Games, and Kipchoge is looking forward to the clash.
Olympic Champion Alexandra Ndolo vs Govt
36-year-old German-born Kenyan fencing champion, Alexandra Ndolo's duel against the Kenyan government began when she on Saturday, May 20 bemoaned the lack of support from the Kenyan Fencing Federation in her ambition to represent the country in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
She expressed how fed up she was with the lies she alleged came from the Kenyan sports system that was meant to support her in realising her 2024 Olympics dream.
Ndolo confessed to having single-handedly financed and organised her entire fencing season and had planned, booked and paid for every single training camp and competition.
Additionally, she revealed that she had travelled to many competitions without the assistance of her coach and had not at any point taken a physio with her during her trips, something she said was unusual and unheard of for a fencer of her calibre.
"I can’t afford to promote fencing in Kenya, assure visibility for the young Kenyan athletes, and the young Kenyan coaches and provide results for the officials whilst getting no support whatsoever," she indicated.
Kenyan Fencer and Olympic champion Alexandra Ndolo. /ALEXANDRA NDOLO
The woes worsened on Friday, November 10 when she announced that she would not compete in the World Cup event in Italy, attributing the developments to the Kenyan government reportedly failing to enrol her in the prestigious competition.
"I am beyond frustrated about this situation!! Not competing at this competition means I can’t defend the points I got at last year's first Worldcup and as a result, I will drop out of the top 16 in the world ranking," she stated.
She further termed the move a massive blow to her as she would not be able to collect crucial points for the ongoing Olympic qualification. The saga enraged Kenyans who faulted the government for failing to take care of the country's athletes.
Death Of Sean Cardovills
The demise of Capital FM sports journalist Sean Cardovillis on Saturday, September 9 shocked the whole country, but no section was hardest hit than that of sports journalism, where he carved out his indelible mark for years.
His journey through the realm of sports reporting, characterized by unwavering dedication and a passion for storytelling, left an enduring legacy that transcends the boundaries of his profession.
So celebrated was his contributions to the world of sports journalism that when Capital FM issued a statement confirming the unfortunate news, scores of sports journalists started airing out their condolence messages following the loss of a true icon in the media game.
As though it wasn't enough, the news reached the highest person in the country, President Ruto, who stated in his condolence message that he was "Saddened by the passing of a brilliant and outstanding sports broadcaster Sean Cardovillis. He was a cool, insightful and gifted journalist who played an integral role on our radio stations."
"We will miss his clear and concise voice, passion and upbeat personality. Our prayers are with his family and media fraternity at this painful time. Rest in Peace, Sean," he wrote.
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