The Kenyans Tradition in Excellence - Created By: Noah Green

The Kenyans have been dominating the sport of distance running for decades, and scientists have been researching this phenomena trying to find clues to explain this unique trend. There are many factors that have a beneficial impact to their success, though could the Kenyans success be based around a tradition in excellence?

Top Male All-Time Marathon List Rank Name

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 Wilson Kipsang Patrick Makau Dennis Kimetto Emmanuel Mutai Halie Gebrselassie Eliud Kipchoge Geoffrey Mutai Ayele Abshero Duncan Kibet James Kwambai

Country
Kenya Kenya Kenya Kenya Ethiopia Kenya Kenya Ethiopia Kenya Kenya

Time
2:03:23 2:03:38 2:03:45 2:03:52 2:03:59 2:04:05 2:04:15 2:04:23 2:04:27 2:04:27

Location
Berlin Berlin Chicago Chicago Berlin Berlin Berlin Dubai Rotterdam Rotterdam

Eight of the top ten fastest marathons ever run in the world were run by a Kenyan. The other two individuals in the list were from Kenyas neighboring country Ethiopia.

WHAT ARE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE KENYANS SUCCESS?

1) Enhanced biomechanical and metabolic running efficiency due to their ectomorphic somatotype. 2) An ability to use a large percentage of their Vo2 max over a specific race distance. 3) Kenyans begin running in hopes of achieving economic success, which enables them to remain highly motivated. 4) An ability to withstand large amounts of pain due to cultural practices from childhood. 5) Kenyan children are subject to consistent aerobic training since running to school is necessary on a daily basis. 6) An ability to train at high altitude with little consequence. 7) Kenyans spend large amount of time barefoot from childhood, which strengthens their feet and lower legs.

Kalenjin Tribe
Nearly all of the elite athletes of Kenya come from the Kalenjin Tribe located in the Great Rift Valley. The athletes train together in Iten, Kenya under the same coach by the name of Brother Colm O Connell. The junior athletes train alongside the Olympic athletes, and dream of becoming a champion in the future.

The athletes of Kenya all train together constantly pushing one another. They all train on a dirt track at St. Patricks High School in Iten, Kenya which is pictured in the top right corner.

THE PRIMARY FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO KENYAS SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS

There are several key factors that have contributed to the Kenyans dominance in athletics, though a tradition in excellence is the primary factor that has led to their unprecedented success. Similar to the Canadians tradition in excellence for ice hockey, and the Brazilians tradition in excellence for soccer, the Kenyans have also developed a tradition in excellence for athletics. The Kenyan public has developed a high expectation for their athletes, due to their history in the sport, which pushes the current athletes to higher and higher limits, and this creates the best distance runners in the world.