In elite athletics, speed may be a gift, but endurance is a choice. And for Kenya’s current crop of athletes, former National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) president and legendary runner Paul Tergat says the true secret to a lasting career lies not just in legs, but in the mind.
Speaking ahead of the 23rd SOYA Awards in March 2026, the man affectionately known as “Gentleman Tergat” urged athletes to develop a strong winning mentality.
“The most important thing is to have purpose. You can’t be in sport without purpose because this sport demands tolerance. There is a lot of pain, and to be a champion requires a strong mindset,” he said.
Tergat, a former marathon world record holder and five-time World Cross Country champion, credits resilience and hunger for success for shaping his own journey.
“If you put your mind that you’ve lost, then you’ve lost. As an athlete, you know you are representing your country. You want to win, and you want to make a difference in your life,” he added.
Unlike many of Kenya’s running legends, Tergat was a late starter. Born in Baringo, outside the traditional Kalenjin running regions, he only discovered his talent after joining the military following primary school in Riwo and Kapkawa.
“As I was growing up in those parts of Baringo, life was a challenge. I went to school barefoot and was a beneficiary of the school feeding program. I never knew I had a talent until I joined the military,” Tergat recalls.
By the mid-1990s, Tergat had become a global force. He dominated muddy cross-country courses worldwide, winning the World Cross Country Championships five years in a row, from 1995 to 1999.
His rivalry with Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, including the heart-breaking 0.09-second loss in the 10,000m final at Sydney 2000, forged a competitive philosophy that would later define him on the roads.
In 2003, at the Berlin Marathon, Tergat ran 42.195km in 2:04:55, becoming the first man in history to break the 2:05 barriera record that stood for four years. Today, he still holds the Kenyan 10,000m national record (26:27.85) set in Brussels in 1997.
Beyond running, Tergat led the National Olympic Committee of Kenya from 2017 to 2025, shaping the country’s sporting vision. He urged county governments to look beyond traditional athletics and tap into Kenya’s rich, diverse talent pool.
“I joined the sport at the senior level. I wish I had known earlier that I had a special talent,” he said, highlighting the need to identify and nurture young talent.
