Two time Boston marathon champion Moses Tanui is a man of many firsts across the country in the sporting world especially in athletics and golf, which he has been seriously involved.
But what he does, he says with smiles “My duty is giving back to the society for others to enjoy what they lack and I cant hold onto something yet I have the opportunity to provide.”
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Well known by his exploits at Boston marathon, where he won two titles-1996 and 1998, Tanui is a man of many firsts in his both athletics and golf career.
When marathon is mentioned, Tanui’s name comes out as an athlete who ran the fastest in half marathon in less than one hour during 1994 Milan half marathon when he clocked 59:47 but his record was later quashed by the National Olympics Committee of Kenya chairman Paul Tergat.
By bringing locals closer to word leading athletes, the 1995 world half marathon champion established The Eldoret City marathon.
The race, which is the most expensive in Kenya had its inauguration on 22nd April 2018, with the 1996 world half marathon silver medalist describing it as a dream come true.
“The race is long overdue. We have been producing world leading runners but we lack one of our own and this race, I have been planing for a very long time but I have achieved my dream,” said the 1993 world 10,000m silver medalist.
The winners Sharon Cherop, the 2012 Boston marathon champion and Elkana Yego pocketed a cool Kshs 3 million.
With his firsts, Tanui has been championing for Junior talent growth in sports, which he has mastered well.
The 2002 Vienna marathon champion donated a trophy for Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) where junior golfers from across the country can compete for.
“This year, the first event of JGF championships in Eldoret in December once the schools have closed and it will be a rotational series, where the winner walks away with it before the next event,” said Tanui who is also the JGF North Rift representative.
To ensure continuity in golf, Tanui says that developing future talents begins at a junior stage.
“If you want to have best sportsmen and women, you nurture them from junior level. Good sportsmanship begins at a tender age,” added Tanui.
The most prestigious trophy he has donated is that of Victoria Cup, which is an annual tournament for Kenyan and Ugandan golfers.
The Victoria Cup started in 2016 where Kenyan golfers beat their visitors Uganda at Muthaiga golf club.
Kenya team retained the title in 2017 edition that was played on Entebbe golf course. A team of ten golfers led by then captain Alfred Nandwa from Railways joined efforts with Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAG) golfers John Karichu, Mike Kisia (Vet Lab), Samuel Njoroge (Kenya Railways) Edwin Mudanyi of Vet Lab, then Kenya number one golfer Kenneth Bollo of Royal Club, Jeff Kubwa from Muthaiga, Dennis Saikwa (Royal), Kenya’s top two juniors Agil Is-Hag from Nyali and Mutahi Kibugu from Muthaiga.
This year, the tournament will be staged at Vet Lag golf club from July 26th t0n 28th
“I like appreciating talents and Victoria Cup is an amateur tournament that is a gateway to professional golfing. My aim was to motivate amateur golfers and expose them to international opportunities. We cant play Golf Of the Year a lone but into the local territory too,” said Tanui.
Tanui, who will watch the 2018 edition, says that the aim of donating the trophy was to motivate amateur golfers to play for Kenya team since there are few international matches for Kenyan golfers.
“I can’t provide food or train them but a trophy is good. My main purpose for donating the trophy is for attracting top amateurs and associate with people have made it in sports. When I was young, I wanted to be like Kipchoge Keino, Ben Jipcho where I wanted the same to be in golf and Kenya Golf Union (KGU) were happy about the donation,” added 1991 world 10,000m champion.
Apart from serving as 2017/2018 Eldoret golf club captain, he started golf marathon at the club where golfers played as many holes as possible