Ezekiel Letaya, the new pearl of Kenyan athletics, from herding cattle to winning the 101 Allianz Jean Bouin

Kenya It is one of the main factories, if not the most relevant, when it comes to training and ‘making’ long-distance runners. Its high altitude, its strong mind, its food and the tradition of hunting and herding, as well as the capacity for sacrifice, work and commitment to athletics, are some of the keys to understanding the good position of the African nation in Olympus athletics, because of 1968 Mexico Olympics will present to society the achievements of Naftali Temu, Kipchoge Keino or Amos Biwott. Recently, the achievements of Eliud Kipchoge or the gold at the Paris Games this summer Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Beatrice Chebet or Faith Kipyegon. A long list of names he wanted to join Ezekiel Letaya, the surprising winner of the 101 Allianz Jean Bouinwith devilish pace did not give his rivals any options on the difficult Montjuïc circuit this Sunday.

Letaya was amazed days before at Lread 10K Internationalwhere he started acting like a hare and where he finished 2nd with a time of 28′, five seconds ahead of the winner, also a Kenyan Victor Kipruto (27’55”). But who is this new Kenyan pearl of athletics, who gently and steadily floats on the asphalt and shows great humility when talking to the press?

Ezekiel Letaya (25 years old) He is of Masai ethnicity. He was born in Narok, not far from Nairobi, although he currently lives there Ngongwhere he was training with Kiprono Menjowhose surname is familiar to the most common street dean of athletics and to great running fans, who in his time was a true idol, because he won the MD Athletic Classic up to three times: 2007, 2009, 2010. Menjo himself saw him in July and in the blink of an eye he signed with the athlete’s representation agency of Ramon Linaresa key figure in the sporting career of Letaya and other Kenyan athletes, since he traveled to this country for the first time in 2017 for a concentration in altitude and that trip culminated in a new aspect of the representative for the former this athlete. From the first day, seeing his qualities, they designed a specific preparation program for Ezekiel and they are processing visas so he can go to Spain and compete, stepping onto European soil for the first time in November.

Unlike other famous athletes in his country, there is no tradition of running in his family In fact, he started running in 2020, because of his job – he is an aviation soldier – his workers were promoted to be good runner and represent their department. in the military championships and the national championships, and there Ezekiel Letaya He began to show his potential and fell in love with athletics, running the 1,500 in 3:40 and achieving podiums in cross-country races in his country. Father of three children, a boy and two girls – the oldest is 8 years old, the middle is 3 and the youngest is 1 and a half -, Ezekiel, like a good Masai, likes to take care of herds of cattle and cook chapati , traditional Kenyan food , the ‘bread’ of Kenya, which Ramon Linares He makes sure that his preparation is amazing.

know Ezekiel facing the opportunity of his life and Linares – a great fan of athletics, who has always competed in the 1,500 and went on to compete in the Spanish Championships in 2018 and 2019, with marks of 3:48 and 30:13 in the 10K – knew that he has a diamond in the rough in his hands that he just needs to polish and know how to manage. “Our intention,” Linares explained to MD, “is for him to establish himself in the elite track of the 5,000 and 10K, to make the step up to longer distances such as the half marathon next year and in the future a half marathon.” Letaya has recorded her class at Lleida and Barcelona and he has a great career ahead of him, which he must write slowly but surely, and this week he will compete in Zaragoza cross and then he will fly to Kenya to prepare the Castellón 10K.

Ramón Linares’ idea was to recruit talented athletes like Ezekiel and create a campus training in Catalonia, so that they can ‘experience’ careers such as 10K of Lleida, the Allianz Jeasn Bouin, Nassos or the Mitja of Terrassa and Granollers. Right now, when they have to compete for the Catalan lands – Ramón Linares’ agency, which has not yet been shown to society but is already waving and has 15 athletes tied up – they focus on Saint Hilary Sacalm and they train on the forest roads and tracks of this town, at the Vic athletics track or at ‘carrilet’ connecting Olot with Gironanow a route heavily traveled by cyclists and runners, leaving its tracks in the past.