By Prudence Minayo
Athletics is one of the highest paying sports in the country. A single race can easily turn a struggling athlete into an overnight millionaire. For example, winners in the Dubai Marathon get to pocket kes20 million and another kes10 million in the event an athlete breaks the marathon world record. The government of Kenya has also introduced incentives for winners. Athletes who win either a gold medal, silver medal and bronze medal are awarded an additional kes1 million, kes500,000 and kes250,000 respectively on top of their winnings.
It goes without saying that these sports personalities put Kenya in the world map and deserve every penny they get.
Below are some of the richests sports personalities in Kenya. Some of these athletes have retired from the track.
Ezekiel Kemboi
Ezekiel is the only athlete to ever win four world championships in the steeplechase consecutively. He won the 3000m steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2009 world championships, the 2012 summer Olympics, 2013 world championships and the 2015 world championships. The runner was said to have an approximated net worth of $1.5 million.
Kipchoge Keino
Keino is a retired field and track athlete. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who inspired many athletes to join the sport. The two-time gold medalist can be considered among the pioneer professional runners in Kenya and was one of the 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the International Association of Athletics Federation Hall of Fame. He even has a stadium in Eldoret named after him, Kipchoge Keino stadium. The athlete was adversely mentioned in the misappropriation of over kes55 million of taxpayers money that was meant to cater for athletes at the 2016 Rio Games.
The charges were later dropped by police.
Kipchoge’s estimated net worth is $3 million (source: Net Worth Spot)
Wilson Kipsang
Has made a tidy sum from his track exploits. In 2014 he pocketed $500 million (just above 50 million) jackpot after topping the standing in the six-race World Marathon Majors series. The athlete participated in the London Marathon and won in a record 2 hours, 4 minutes and 29 seconds. From this victory he earned $55,000 (just above Sh5.5 million) and another $100,000 (Sh10 million) bonus and an additional $25,000 (Sh2.5 million) for shattering the course world record. And it doesn’t end there. The man of the moment pocketed $100,000 (Sh10 million) as appearance fee and bonus from Adidas who are his kit sponsors.
The athlete suffered a major blow when he was slapped a four-year ban for anti-doping violations.
Eliud Kipchoge
The long distance runner is a world record holder in marathon with a time of 2:01:39, breaking the previous record by 1 minute 18 seconds. Out of 13 races he has participated, he has won 12 of them. He has been described as the greatest marathon runner of the modern times and in 2019 ran a special marathon event in Vienna Austria, achieving a time of 1:59:40.
He has an estimated net worth $2.5 million.
Julius Yego
He was the first Kenyan to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal in his specialty. Julius is a track and field athlete who competes in the javelin and is nicknamed Mr. YouTube as he learnt his trade through watching YouTube videos.
According to an article by radio Jambo his estimated net worth was million.
David Rudisha
Rudisha is the first and only person to ever run under 1:41 in the 800 meters. He is the 2012 and 2016 Olympics champion and a two time world champion who won the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2010 and has an estimated net worth of $1million.
Martin Lel
The long distance and marathon runner won the London Marathon in 2005,2007 and 2008, the New York City Marathon in 2003 and 2007 and the Great North Run in 2007 and 2009. His estimated net worth is unknown but he has invested in property.
Fred Kiprop
A long distance runner who won the Amsterdam Marathon in 1999 in a time of 2:06:47. He made a lot of money and his well known investments being in property. He owns Kirem Arcade that houses K-Rep Bank.
Asbel Kiprop
Asbel is a Kenyan Olympic 1500 meters and three-time world champion who is serving a for year suspension for doping. The middle distance runner won his first major title at the 2007 All-Africa Games, taking the 1500m gold medal. He has an estimated net worth runs in millions of kenya shillings.
Vivian Cheruiyot
The long distance runner specializes in track and cross country running and has represented Kenya in a number of races. She won a gold medal at the 5,000 meters at the 2016 Olympic, setting a new Olympic record. Her net worth is $1.3 million.
Catherine Ndereba
Ndereba is a marathon runner who has won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics twice. She broke the women’s marathon world record in 2001 at 2:18:47 at the Chicago marathon. The marathon runner’s net worth is estimated between 1-5 million dollars.
Other athletes who are dollar millionaires include Edna Kiplagat, Mary Keitany and Priscah Jeptoo. Next
