Marathon stars visit the UN, push agenda
Kenya’s Viola Cheptoo and Albert Korir visit UN Headquarters a day after completing last Sunday’s New York City Marathon. Cheptoo finished sixth among the women while Korir, who won the race in 2021, finished second in the men’s division.
What you need to know:
- Lagat, a former 1,500 metres runner who finished second at the 2021 New York City Marathon, has dedicated her marathon runs to her late friend and world champion Agnes Tirop who was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in October, 2021.
After dominating the weekend’s New York City Marathon, Kenya’s elite athletes had a feel of the United Nations global operations this week when they visited the UN Headquarters in New York with Viola Cheptoo Lagat furthering her cause against gender-based violence.
Lagat, who was sixth in the elite women’s race on Sunday in two hours, 28 minutes and 11 seconds, and Albert Korir, second in the men’s race in 2:06:57, were special guests at the UN’s Headquarters on 405 East, 45th Street with Lagat holding discussions with the UN’s Head of Global Communications, Under Secretary-General Melissa Fleming, about her efforts to create awareness against gender-based violence.
Lagat, a former 1,500 metres runner who finished second at the 2021 New York City Marathon, has dedicated her marathon runs to her late friend and world champion Agnes Tirop who was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in October, 2021.
Kenya’s Viola Cheptoo visits the UN Headquarters a day after completing last Sunday’s New York City Marathon. Cheptoo finished sixth among the women while Korir, who won the race in 2021, finished second in the men’s division.
Since Tirop’s death, Lagat and several other Kenyan women runners, including multiple London Marathon champion Mary Keitany, have come together to advocate against gender-based violence through their organisation, Tirop’s Angels.
While visiting the UN complex, Korir, on the other hand, sent a passionate appeal for global peace.
“My message to world is: let’s not run a world of conflict, wear or hate speech, but let’s impress a running world of peace, humanity and love,” said Korir who finished second behind Ethiopia’s course record-breaking Tamirat Tola (2:04:58).
Kenya’s Albert Korir visits the UN Headquarters a day after completing the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2023.
Back home in Iten, the undying love for athletics in the “home of champions” was once again witnessed when more than 200 athletes turned up to watch a live broadcast of the New York City Marathon at the Elgon Valley Resort.
The streets of the high altitude town came to life with excitement, the town having been voted as one of the best training locations in the world.
And as the race progressed, excitement could be seen from the athletes who predicted who would finally win the race and it was song and dance when Hellen Obiri sprinted to win the women’s race in 2:27:23.
It was the same scenario when Korir finished second behind Tola. The viewing party was organised by Bank of Africa who offered investment advice on athletes present and the need to plan on their future lives.
According to Malenya Lusimba, who is in charge of the Mwanariadha Account at the bank, the Bank of Africa has been targeting athletes in the programme as their careers take shape.
“Iten is a breeding ground for athletes and organizing such viewership has been our target and we shall continue working with athletes and other stakeholders so that when they win, we win together as a bank,” said Lusimba.
He added that an athlete can have up to four different currency accounts.
