|
|
Kenya: Behind Komon's Mask is a Gifted Man
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
20 March 2008
Posted to the web 19 March 2008
Mutwiri Mutuota
Nairobi
Leonard Patrick Komon wears an unkempt appearance that masks one of the most-talented young distance runners widely-tipped to cause ripples in the world of athletics for years to come.
Komon, 20, who hails from Korungotuny in Mount Elgon District, is keen to make most of life that once promised so little.
Leonard Patrick Komon on his way to finishing fourth at last year's race in Mombasa. He has graduated to the senior team and will feature in Edinburgh. Picture: Robert Gicheru
The athlete, who broke into international prominence when he ran 23:54 to bag the junior men's 8km silver at the 2006 World Cross in Fukuoka, dropped out of Cheptais Secondary School in 2004 due to lack of fees.
"I had to help in our farm, growing maize, potatoes, cabbages and onions for my father to sell at Cheptais Market," he recalls.
Fortunes changed for Komon when the 2005 Prague International Marathon Champion Steven Cheptot Matebo (an elder brother of national 8km junior men's champion, Levi Matebo) spotted his talent and housed him.
"We would train under him and he catered for all our expenses. I owe him a lot and Levi is a close friend and training partner," Komon says.
He then worked his way to the national team via Athletics Kenya weekend cross-country meets the following year. He finished fourth (29:59.6) in the junior race at the national trials to make the Fukuoka bound team.
In Japan, Komon chased gold medal winner, Mang'ata Ndiwa, all the way to the tape, losing the world title by a second as his performance helped Kenya win the team title.
Last year, a third place finish in the national trials (26:14) secured his ticket in the junior men's team. In the absence of Ndiwa, Komon was an overwhelming favourite for the gold in Mombasa, but fell short when he finished fourth (24:25) to earn a second team title.
"It was too hot and my ability to do well was limited. I felt disappointed not to win a medal as I had planned for it but it was consoling to stand there as we received the team title from the President," Komon recounts.
|
This year, Komon has graduated to the senior ranks and staved off stiff competition at the team's training camp in Kigari to make the men's long race squad announced on Monday.
"I was impressed by his stamina and willingness to listen to instructions in camp," head coach, Julius Kirwa said, pointing out why he picked Komon who finished seventh (38:40) at the March 1 National Trials in Ngong.
"He has a future since he is focused and I expect him to surprise many at the World Cross as well as Beijing."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The East African Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
