For a city renowned for producing some of Kenya’s finest athletes, seeing sheep grazing on a stadium’s football pitch and maize drying beside a faded running track was a painful contradiction.
Yet that was the state of Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret for years, as the facility fell into disrepair.
Now, the stadium is undergoing renovation, giving the Home of Champions hope that it will have a sporting facility worthy of its nickname.
The timing could hardly be more symbolic. On October 20, Eldoret will host this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations at the stadium named after the legendary athlete himself.
“Having Mashujaa Day here in Eldoret means a lot because this is the 'Home of Champions' and it’s a place where many of us started our journey. When I started running for Kenya, things were very different. We didn't have much. But we had the determination, and we were very proud to represent our country,” Kipchoge Keino told Daily Nation.
“So, Mashujaa Day coming to Eldoret is not just a celebration but it is about coming home and celebrating our heroes and I’m excited that Kenya is recognizing that,” he said.
For more than 50 years, Kipchoge Keino Stadium stood as a symbol of unfinished ambition.
The facility, whose original construction commenced in 1970, had become almost unrecognisable as a major sporting venue. Sheep grazed on the field, maize was spread out to dry on the southern side, and the tartan track had deteriorated beyond repair while the stands were decrepit and unfit for occupation.
Kipchoge Keino Stadium has nevertheless hosted major sporting events before. The notable one was the 2016 Athletics Kenya Olympic Games trials, when David Rudisha, Faith Kipyegon, Ezekiel Kemboi and Vivian Cheruiyot scorched its track.
Football clubs Rivatex and Eldoret KCC used the stadium to host their home Premier League matches late in the last century.
The rehabilitation project was handed to the Kenya Defence Forces through the Ministry of Defence, with Sinohydro Corporation as the contractor on May 1, 2025.
Seats installed at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium which is under construction.
Photo credit: Bernard Rotich | Nation Media Group
After years of stalled works, the project received fresh impetus when President William Ruto visited the stadium in January and released Sh300 million to speed up the reconstruction.
Recent inspections by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru put the level of completion at about 69 per cent.
When completed, the stadium is expected to accommodate 15,043 spectators, up from its previous capacity of 9,248.
The planned upgrades include modern concrete grandstands, a full canopy, a Fifa-standard football pitch, a World Athletics-approved tartan track, international-grade floodlights, improved drainage and a modern VIP pavilion.
Born on January 17, 1940, in Kipsamo, Nandi Hills, in present-day Nandi County, Keino rose from humble beginnings to become one of Kenya’s most celebrated athletes.
Orphaned at a young age and raised by his aunt, he ran barefoot for miles to school each morning, returned home for lunch and made the journey again in the afternoon.
His name, Kipchoge, means “born near the grain storage shed” in Nandi.
Kipchoge Keino displays a portrait at at his Kazi Mingi home in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on September 14, 2021.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In 1958, he joined the Kenya Police as a fitness instructor. He initially combined athletics with rugby before committing himself to running.
He announced himself to the world in 1965 by breaking the 3,000m and 5,000m world records.
At the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, Keino won the 1,500m gold medal, defeating American world-record holder Jim Ryun. It was Kenya’s first Olympic athletics gold medal.
Four years later, at the Munich Olympics, Keino won gold in the 3,000m steeplechase and silver in the 1,500m. He retired from competitive running in 1973.
His contribution to sport and society earned him induction into the inaugural World Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2016, he became the first recipient of the Olympic Laurel, recognising his humanitarian contribution.
Once completed, Kipchoge Keino Stadium is expected to host a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting as part of the Kip Keino Classic series.
An Eldoret meeting would bring international athletics closer to the communities that have produced generations of great runners.
The stadium is also a designated training venue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
But the stadium’s history also offers a caution. Its renovation alone will not guarantee sustainable use. The facility will need to be maintained, made accessible to local athletes and supported by programmes that identify and nurture emerging talent.
For starters, it will feature prominently in this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, which will be co-hosted by Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet counties under the theme “Security, Sports and the Finance Sector”, with activities running from October 13 to 20.
The programmes include sports tournaments and development activities involving roads, water and affordable housing projects.
Some Sh63 million has been allocated to Mashujaa sports activities. A marathon is scheduled for Sunday in Elgeyo Marakwet, volleyball on Monday in Nandi and the football final in Eldoret.
