10.24.09
athletes conquer the world
I like this article by DONALD KIPKORIR. It was posted Saturday, October 24, 2009 for nation.co.
On Sunday, thousands of unknown and upstart athletes are participating in the 6th StanChart Nairobi International Marathon. At the end of the grueling race, the winners will be garlanded and gifted with money.
Truth but tragic, Sunday’s winners may never be heard from again. Like many other Kenyan athletes before - both in local and international races - they appear from nowhere, win and disappear!
On Thursday, October 29, 2009, Usain Bolt will arrive in Kenya on a charity and environmental mission. Bolt has struck the world with his athletic prowess and, in his wake, he leaves all awed. The world hasn’t heard the last of Bolt and we will not, for a long while.
It is time Kenyans confront the dark truth as to why, though our athletes are world champions, we have no icon like Bolt.
Usain Bolt, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, David Beckham and Manny Pacquiqo receive multi-million-dollar endorsements for few reasons: their eloquence in English, their fashion style, their poise and above all their charisma and presence.
These are athletes who ooze confidence and presence and when they walk into a room, even a dictator stands up for them.