zxcvzcxv wrote:. He hadn't struck me as the farmer type, in contrast to Tim.
Which goes to show how little you understand the Kenyan psyche. You know how the typical Westerner’s idea of heaven is retiring on a beach somewhere warm? For Kenyans, it’s about a farm raising livestock and growing their own food. Elijah is already a farmer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZgQ5aqF64S/?igshid=svyjr4jn5utzhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BZgQ7BHlO1w/?igshid=cf1r3f8vdfxbAnd then there is 2020 rojo who doesnt need to seed or plant anything. He can just ask his dad to hire 100 people to do that for him.
rojo wrote:
Here is the end of a Q&A with Manangoi. Anyone know how Centro's farm is coming along?
https://www.runnerstribe.com/interviews/elijah-manangoi-interview-commonwealth-1500m-champ/jRunnersTribe wrote:
So, when you’re not training, how do you keep busy?
ELI: I do dairy farming and also tend to my crops regularly after training. I believe I am among some of the good farmers here in Ntulele, Narok County.
Financially, catering for your family and needs, how’s that coming along?
ELI: Obviously, things are tight right now, but I have a little bit of money from some investments, some rentals, I am doing dairy farming, I am also planting beans and more, so I have at least little money to push me through until this COVID disappears and I go back to running again and earn some good money.
zxcvzcxv wrote:
Kenyans are not generally going to be earning a lot of money from sponsorships, not even medalists. They depend heavily on prize money and, in some cases, appearance fees, both of which have been scarce for an injured Manangoi for some time. He hadn't struck me as the farmer type, in contrast to Tim.
From how thing are developing (with the Czech Republic soon to start holding meets again, and Bislett turned into a sort of mini Norwegian championships), I would imagine that the Diamond League might not start again until 2022, but that local, national, and even limited international meets will be taking place in Europe as early as next month.
In other words, in terms of meetings and prize money, everybody's income is going to be reduced, but East Africans might not have anything for a couple of years.
Borders are likely to be opened up gradually, in neighbouring countries with low infection rates - as the Czech Republic is about to do with Austria, Slovakia, and Croatia. Countries which allowed the virus to get out of control like the UK will be off limits for maybe over a year (not to mention travel to the UK depends on flights), but they could at least hold big domestic meets once the lockdown is finally eased.
Surely Kenyan athletics depends to a large extent on the investment by European management groups (as we know, mainly Italian and Spanish)? Why are they going to keep investing in Kenyan (and Ethiopian) athletes who might not earn them any money until 2022? Look at how quickly Ugandan distance running has been transformed as soon as the Italians started moving in. How soon will the training camps and facilities set up there be closed with no athlete's earnings to pay for them?
El Keniano wrote:
zxcvzcxv wrote:. He hadn't struck me as the farmer type, in contrast to Tim.
Which goes to show how little you understand the Kenyan psyche. You know how the typical Westerner’s idea of heaven is retiring on a beach somewhere warm? For Kenyans, it’s about a farm raising livestock and growing their own food. Elijah is already a farmer.
You mean Elijah is already retired?
ex-runner wrote:
You'd like to think that but I very much doubt Western athletes will be in a better position financially than African ones through this time.
Many athletes in Western countries unfortunately have to work second jobs anyway regardless of Covid-19, athletics doesn't pay much and relative to the UK cost of living it doesn't work.
I remember stories of Nigel Levine and other British athletes who had funding cut having to work at McDonald's etc. I believe the same has happened in the USA.
A lot of contracts are performance related also so with no races how can one perform?
Thanks for the reply. Everybody in athletics is going to be a loser if this crisis continues into the next year, I was just wondering why it's been so little discussed here (the long term implications), especially regards Kenyans given that so many (here) are defensive and emotional when it comes to discussion of the doping problem there.
Potentially two years of very limited or no international competition would have no real parallel in track history, except for World War II perhaps, when athletics was still completely amateur.
Maybe South Africa during the period it was boycotted would be the closest example. It certainly surely affected athletics there, given what we now have seen regards the potential in that country. And it's often been claimed here that the reason for the relative lack of success of East Africans in the early to mid 80's was the Olympic boycotts and it's effect on the motivation of athletes there.
Established Western athletes with large social media followers can still fulfill sponsorship obligations and keep themselves in the public eye, especially if (even limited) meetings still take place in Europe over the summer. Second top tier athletes can offer coaching etc, and cash in on the current need for fitness guidance and what might turn into another running boom (I've already seen athletes offering coaching services on Strava).
Even Kenyan world champions like Manangoi have about 100 followers on Twitter and Instagram (and El K makes up about 20% of them, lol), and they have no choice but to head to the potato farm.
I have to say at least Tim has made a real effort in the last year or two to develop his 'brand'. I bet Manangoi and a few others wish they had did the same.
http://timothycheruiyot.com/El Keniano wrote:
Rojo, since a not insignificant amount of your content is copy and pasted from Kenyan sites and outlets, I suggest hiring Kenyan editor for Letsrun would be best for you guys.
You suggest "hiring Kenyan editor", do ya?
Talk about the pot calling the kettle African-American.
Also, try "copied and pasted". Jeez...
Rojo should have titled this thread - ' Elijah Manangoi skipping 2020 to plant beans'.
But seriously, he had a strange season last year. I wonder if this apparent retirement is really only about the lockdown situation?
melting plot wrote:
El Keniano wrote:
Rojo, since a not insignificant amount of your content is copy and pasted from Kenyan sites and outlets, I suggest hiring Kenyan editor for Letsrun would be best for you guys.
You suggest "hiring Kenyan editor", do ya?
Talk about the pot calling the kettle African-American.
Also, try "copied and pasted". Jeez...
You grammar nazis need a life. What, by the way, is the male version of a 'Karen'?
Manangoi and Tim working on their bean and potato farms to make ends meet while under lockdown.
Coevett wrote:
Manangoi and Tim working on their bean and potato farms to make ends meet while under lockdown.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_rdjRentxA/
I think the confusion you are having about this farm business is because in your mind you think they are saying that they are working on someone's farm. Like a Mexican who crosses the border every day and toils for 14 hours.
When in reality, they own the farm, employ people and just help out from time to time as something to do.
It's really confusing how much this has triggered Rojo and yourself. Some Kenyans who have not had success yet are certainly struggling. The 1500m world champions driving red BMWs are not. If the UK wasn't handing out £2500 a month to everyone then British full time athletes would CERTAINLY be struggling also. It's like you think UK athletes just get money from the sky/entitlement; they need to race.
^ You, Sir, get it. But how bizarre, considering the amount of time both Rojo and Coevett spend obsessing about Kenya and poring through Kenyan articles, that they still don't have the faintest grasp of the culture, way of living and perspectives. I'd ask them to cultivate some Kenyan friendships if they weren't so hostile and judgemental but, conversely, can't guarantee any would be receptive to such overtures given their views.