By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (September 4^th 2025)

The VAA Programme for the Next 12 Months

Simon Biwot – a caring champion for the veteran athletes – announced four projects that the Association would run in the following year at the Converse Meeting of Veteran Athletes Association on September 1^st, which took place in Eldoret – the City of Champions. They were 1) Mentorship, 2) Gender based violence in sports, 3) Protection of young talent and 4) The Welfare of Former Athletes.  

The face of the Mentorship project was the 1968 Olympic champion of the 3000m Steeplechase – the race Kenyans came to dominate and which is considered their signature race. Amos Biwott was the first Kenyan Olympic champion in that race. He is in his late 70s now and hadn’t received the recognition he was due – he was once refused entry to an athletics meet because the Father of Kenyan Steeplechasing was not recognised!

Biwott was succeeded by reigning 1500m champion, Kipchoge Keino in 1972. The Gender based violence project supports Joan Chelimo Melli, currently off to the World Championships in Tokyo. Chelimo Melli’s Tirop’s Angels – named after murdered Olympian, Agnes Tirop.

Chelimo Melli and Tirop were friends. Tirop’s death in such circumstances deeply affected Chelimo Melli – she was determined to highlight the issue of femicide in Kenyan athletics and to help others, especially the young aspiring athletes with opportunities in athletics and to protect them – the VAA fully support Chelimo Melli.

Recently, the trial of her accused murderer, Ibrahim Rotich stalled after Rotich was bailed and failed to attend court – the prospect of justice prevailing now is bleak. Rotich clearly intends to avoid facing the courts. Meanwhile, Chelimo Melli, now representing Romania, helps athletes especially female ones to overcome gender exploitation and worse. Tirop’s Angels also plays a vital role in protecting young talent.

The VAA supports the development of young talent through institutions such as the school of its member, Tecla Sang Chemabwai. She knows a thing or two about developing and protecting young talent. She was barely a teenager when she represented Kenya at the 1968 Olympic Games. Tecla’s school caters for children aged 3-15 years-old, which provides second to none facilities for aspiring athletes aged between 15-23.

Another former athlete, Japheth Kimutai, runs the Complete Sports complex. It caters for aspiring athletes aged 15-23 years-old. Young and aspiring athletes benefit from the input of the veteran athletes through these facilities and also the mentorship that they and other veteran athletes provide.

Recently we highlighted the plight of Vincent Suter Chemweno. He is now the poster-boy for the welfare of veteran athletes, especially those who represented Kenya before athletes were paid. They had to work other jobs and had little opportunity to save for their retired years.

Athletes Welfare

I was invited to address the Converse Meeting on several subjects, including athletes’ welfare. Biwot had made the generous commitment that the Veteran Athletes Association would pay the remaining KES (Kenyan Shillings) 7200 to ensure that Suter would have medical insurance for a year.

In that year Suter’s needs would be assessed and a care-plan would be devised according to his needs – he will not be compelled to fit into a predetermined care plan.

On September 3^rd Dr Solomon Mangira Kipkosgei, a lecturer at Koitaleel Samoei[1] University, and his promising student Ezekiel Leley MBA visited Vincent for the first time – it won’t be the last – together with former athletes Francis Bowen and one of the great pioneers of Kenyan women’s athletics, Susan Sirna.

Bearing Gifts – the After-care for Vincent

They came bearing a gift for Vincent. Despite being far from wealthy, especially from their careers as athletes – they really did run for their country and for the love of it – the Veteran Athletes Association decided that not only would Vincent’s plight be highlighted, but that they would be the change that they wanted to see.

They began by paying the 7200 Kenya Shillings (KES) to ensure that Vincent had medical insurance for a year. The cheque was presented to Vincent on Friday. I was privileged and honoured to be allowed to present the cheque to a visibly moved Vincent. Mangira Kipkosgei and Leley were visibly moved by meeting Vincent. They are committed to helping him.

It was made very clear that this was the start of Vincent’s after-care for the rest of his life. On Monday the Veteran Athletes Association will have a meeting to plan the provision of that care. Vincent Suter Chemweno has become the poster-boy for the after-care of retired athletes already, but he is far from the only one who needs help. Let’s hope civilised societies refuse to tolerate the lack of assistance to the Vincent Suter Chemwenos any longer.

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[1] Koitaleel Arap Samoei was a leader of Kenyan resistance against colonial encroachment, especially railways in Nandi. He strongly opposed the land-grab required to facilitate the building of railways. For 12 years the Nandi resisted the British fiercely and successfully. The British proposed a meeting for a truce – Samoei agreed. That proved to be a fatal mistake. As he went to shake hands with Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, who had marched from Nandi Fort, Meinertzhagen ambushed Samoei and his supporters – only one of whom escaped with their life in October 19^th 1905.

The indignities continued posthumously. Samoei’s, body was mutilated – beheaded posthumously and the remains were shipped to Britain where they were kept as a memento, spoils of war, believed to be held at the Pitts River Museum of Oxford University. The headless remains of Koitaleel Arap Samoei were returned to Kenya in 2014 and buried in the Koitaleel Samoei Mausoleum – the Heroes Museum is at the same location in the hills of Nandi. The Nandi still await the return of the head of Koitaleel Arap Samoei, so he can be buried with the reverence that is due to him.