Maandalizi kabambe yamepamba moto ili kufanikisha hili tukio la kihistoria, ambapo Mkenya anategemewa kukimbia mbio za masafa marefu kilomita 42 kwa ndani ya masaa mawili, dunia yote inasubiri kwa hamu kuona hilo likitendeka, yupo tayari kudhihirisha kwamba pingamizi kwa binadamu lipo tu kwenye akili zetu ila mwili unaweza kufanya chochote ukidhamiria.
Ameondoka na timu yake kwa usafiri wa ndege ya kifahari iliyoandaliwa kwa ajli yake, kuna tajiri kubwa duniani limewekeza kwa hali na mali kuona jamaa akifanikisha. Hii ni chachu kwenye mawazo na fikra ya mabilioni ya vijana duniani, itawapa wengi hamasa kwamba inawezekana, linawezekana, itawezekana.... cha msingi ni kukomaa tu, ukidhamiria utafanikisha, iwe kwenye biashara, elimu, ujuzi wala chochote kile.....
Dah ila kwa kweli hii noma, nikikumbuka mara kadhaa nimehusika kwenye nusu marathon kilomita chache tu 21km na huwa nachukua zaidi ya hayo masaa mawili, na nikifika nipo hoi natamani nife.
The chartered Gulfstream G280 jet that flew out world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and his pace makers to Austria lands at the Eldoret International Airport last night before it took off to Vienna via Cairo. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Eliud Kipchoge and his technical staff are expected to land in Vienna Tuesday morning in five-star fashion.
The Olympic marathon champion and world record holder was Monday night treated to the affluence that one of Great Britain’s richest persons, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is accustomed to.
The efficient Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) staff at the Eldoret International Airport last night made meticulous arrangements to receive and see off Sir Jim’s Gulfstream G280, which was flown by two pilots from his British base to fly Kipchoge to the Austrian capital.
It is in Vienna where Kipchoge, 34, is scheduled to attempt to run the marathon in under two hours, with the “INEOS 1:59 Challenge” bankrolled by Sir Jim, owner of chemical firm INEOS.
A quick check reveals that the Gulfstream, registration number M-INTY was registered in Britain on March 4, 2016, and its last sightings have been on the British isles, the abode of Sir Ratcliffe, a running enthusiast.
The jet is valued at $24.5 million (Sh2.4 billion) and was expected to make a fuelling stop at Luxor, Egypt, before proceeding to Vienna.
The first window for Kipchoge to run has now been narrowed.