Two time Olympic champion Dr Kipchoge Keino has gifted his school Kip Keino School his Olympic Laurel award.
The former 1,500m Olympic champion who served as the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) earned the award way back in 2016 but on Thursday he donated the trophy to the school he started to help vulnerable in the society.
The International Olympics Committee rewarded Keino as an outstanding sportsmen and women for their achievements in social engagements.
Due to his exceptional contribution to the Olympic movement and his work in educating orphaned children.
Keino became the first man to win the award donated it to the Kip Keino High school as a way of motivating students and helping young talents to take the sport on high note.
The Olympic Laurel is a distinction awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to honour those who have “made significant achievements in education, culture, development and peace through sport”.
He established the school that hosts more than 100 Kenyan orphans with Kip Keino School offering more than 500 children aged from 6 to 13 the chance to get an education the Kip Keino High Performance Training Centre, welcoming the most promising athletes in Kenya.
“This donation is meant to serve as motivational to upcoming athletes and encouragement to most unfortunate in the society and as a way of showing humility to the community attributing his success to the community,” said Keino.
He said the prestigious trophy will serve as a monument of progress to the upcoming talents in Kenya and other parts of the world
“This is the most precious gift received during my athletics carrier and being the only one who has every received the award in world. I would like to set example to upcoming athletes. I want to urge them to be disciplined and work hard for the achievements and respect athletics profession for the better and future sportsmen,” explained Keino during the handover ceremony at the school.
At the same he also urged the government to build more sports center and equip them to grow sports and to enable athletes have place for their training.
Kip Keino high school is the center of nurturing athletes’ talents and also school for those who are not fortunate in the society and the award will serve as a motivation and hope for them.