Kenya Links Running and Rowing

Eldoret, the running capital of the world

The talent of Kenya’s long distance runners is world-renowned. Rowing in Kenya is in its infancy. So what does the might of Kenyan running and rowing have in common? “Plenty,” says Kenyan Rowing Federation’s chairman, Seif Patwa.

When legendary runner, Dr. Kipchoge Keino, approached Patwa the two disciplines moved closer together. Using his experience as a runner and the knowledge of altitude training, Keino, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, suggested two altitude training bases for rowing. Keino lives in the “running capital of the world,” Eldoret, and close to the town are two bodies of water with the potential for rowing at altitude.

Lake Naivasha and Lessos Dam have been highlighted for their existing facilities built around tourism and Kenya’s running facilities. Lessos is 2200 metres above sea level while Naivasha sits at 1900 metres.

But the question for Patwa is how to attract locals to rowing when running dominates the Kenyan athlete mindset. Becoming a top runner in Kenya literally means being one of the fastest in the world and, like soccer players in Brazil, top runners proliferate. So Patwa is focusing on attracting the second tier of runners.

 “We literally have thousands of potential world class runners in the vicinity of Eldoret,” says Patwa, “so we are aiming for the second and third level runners who may not make it to the top.” Patwa sees no conflict between the two sports. “Rowing like Running is an endurance sport.” But Patwa admits the division between the two disciplines comes with the expense of rowing. The development will thus grow around a club system and already Patwa has his eye on Moi University in Eldoret as well as a number of high schools in the region.

At present rowing in Kenya is in its fledgling stage. Initially introduced in the 1930s as a social sport for British expatriates, it all but disappeared in 1989 when the club was closed down after disputes over ownership of the land where the club was built. Interest was revived in 1995 when a 60 kilometre coastal race from Mombassa was held.

Currently recruits from Kenya’s Navy dominate rowing and especially marine divers. “They’re well trained and used to danger,” says Patwa who had rowers carrying shark knives when they first rowed in singles along the coast. In 2000 eight Navy rowers went to the African Championships and Patwa hopes to qualify a rower for the Athens Olympics.

Besides the domination of running in Kenyan sport, Patwa also contends with the people’s attitude to any kind of water sport. “Communities that live in the desert are afraid of water because they have never seen it except in boreholes.” Crocodiles and hippopotami are also an issue making some bodies of water unusable. 

Although Patwa and Keino’s initial plan is to focus on encouraging locals to row, in the long term Kenyan Rowing hopes to make either Lake Naivasha or Lessos Dam an international altitude centre. “Our runners have proved beyond any doubt (the benefit of altitude training). There is no reason why our rowers cannot use this natural way of increasing performance,” says Patwa.