The 2014 Maasai Olympics: Competing for Change

The 2014 Maasai Olympics took place in mid-December, hosted at Kimana Sanctuary in Kajaido, Kenya. Organized and sanctioned by Big Life Foundation, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, worked together with  a number of other supporters, sponsors, and and contributors in collaboration to bring together warriors of Kuku, Rombo, Mbirikani, and Olgulului Group Ranches to compete in six different events; rungu throwing, spear throwing, high jump, 200 m sprint, 800 m sprint, and 5 kilometre run.

A moran competes in the high jump competition

The sole purpose of the Maasai Olympics is not only to provide the current warrior age set with a platform to compete with their peers, but more importantly, to emphasize an alternative to the traditional practice of proving manhood - lion killing. This platform was provided to the warriors to utilize traditional skills to "hunt for medals, not for lions".

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals

The first competition in 2012 was deemed a huge success, and 2014 was certainly an exciting competition!

Participants of the 5000m competition

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust sponsored the 1st position of the 5000m and 800m to participate in the New York Marathon. The 5000m was a very tense competition... as Kuku was for a large part of the race in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th position. In the last 300m a moran from Mbirikani who was in the 2nd position overtook the Kuku runner and ended up winning the race!

Samson handing over cheque to the winning moran to participate in the 2015 New York Marathon

Overall score of the Olympics: 1st position Mbirikani Manyatta with 16.5 points; 2nd position Olgulului Manyatta with 7.5 points; 3rd position was Kuku Manyatta with 7 points (very close call between 2nd and 3rd position) and in the 4th position was Rombo Manyatta with 5 points total.

Kuku was proudly in the 1st position for Javelin (spear) throwing!

It was an excellent day filled with an extraordinary display of skill, competition, cooperation, and commitment to conservation. To learn more about this tremendous event, you can visit the official Maasai Olympics website here

MWCT Ranger with David Rudisha - Kenyan Gold Medalist

The Scoreboard

Maasai in 2013 New York Marathon

In December 2012, MWCT held the inaugural Maasai Olympics where our friends at AECOM provided the winner of the 5000 meter race with an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to run the New York Marathon. The winer was Jacob Lamaron, from a small village in Rombo, near Kuku Group Ranch. Having never been out of Kenya before, Jacob was demonstrated excitement to run for MWCT in this special way.

Competitors in last years' Maasai Olympics

In 2009, the New York Marathon was a monumental occasion for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and three other Maasai warriors. Edward Norton, President of the US Board for MWCT, hosted three local Maasai, along with Luca Belpietro, in New York. The purpose of this adventure was to raise funds for the Trust through Edward Norton’s established website CrowdRise. The fundraising efforts were extraordinarily successful, raising over $1 million for MWCT. You can read more about the marathon of 2009 right here.

Due to it’s success in 2009, MWCT wanted to keep it’s presence in the marathon by continuing to send local Maasai to have the chance to run in the marathon that contributed to so much success for this community. Although Jacob was chosen to run in the marathon many months ago, it was by no means an easy journey to get him to New York for November 3.

Jacob - 2013 Maasai marathon competitor

Jacob is from a very small village and grew up in the Maasai community his whole life. He would first need a birth certificate, a passport, and a visa, a treacherous journey of its own. After months of working, and thanks to the tireless work of MWCT's team, including our friend, former US Ambassador to Kenya, Mark Bellamy who was able to help by speeding up the Visa process, and on Thursday Oct 31st, Jacob had his visa and boarded his first-ever plane and landed in NYC at 5 pm on Friday November 1st!

By keeping many of the other details out, it was a very long process that involved contact with many connections, in Kenya and in the United States. However, it is evident in a situation like this, that true kindness and generosity can be seen through the works of many people to create an everlasting memory for one man.

Absorbing the sights of New York and riding the subway

In only two hours after landing, Jacob met US MWCT Board President, Edward Norton and the entire MWCT Marathon team at out pre-race event at Modo Yoga in Manhattan. The next day was full of new experiences: a bagel breakfast, Times Square, first subway ride, and at last, ending with a large spaghetti dinner.

The US MWCT team couldn't get enough of Jacob. The connection to all that MWCT does, thought Jacob, was tangible and incredibly motivating for all that met him.

Jacob on the ferry to the marathon starting line!

Bib numbers in hand! Ready to run...

The next morning was marathon day! Jacob is truly talented and had an amazing marathon time of 2 hours 20 minutes in the Chyulu Hills while practicing here in Kenya. But unfortunately because it was not an official race, Jacob was not qualified to start earlier than the other thousands of recreational runners. Jacob started with the "herd" of runners at 10:30 a.m..

Despite all these circumstances, he was running at an astounding pace, averaging six minute miles until the 10 kilometre mark, in which he unfortunately sustained an slight knee injury that caused his pace to slow down. His finishing time for the total marathon distance of 42 kilometres was 2 hours and 58 minutes. An unbelievable time! Although Jacob said he was not very happy with his time, it was truly remarkable to place under 3 hours for having travelled multiple hours, along with experiencing a different culture, eating different food, running with different shoes, and running on pavement!

Sampling Gatorade flavours post-marathon 

Fortunately Jacob is recovering well from his slight injury, and had the warmest support from many people in New York that were there to run alongside him, or to just cheer him along.

Relaxing in the morning the day after the marathon

MWCT and the entire Marathon team are forever inspired by Jacob's courage and determination. If you would be interested in running on the MWCT NYC Marathon team, please email mwct.team@gmail.com. We can't wait for 2014!

A big thank you must be extended to ALL of those in New York, the AECOM team, and the rest of those in the US who helped make Jacob's experience a successful and memorable one. All of us here at MWCT were very excited to welcome Jacob home! Please enjoy the video below of Jacob being welcomed home by the President of MWCT, Samson Parashina!

You can find the video on YouTube here: Welcome Home Jacob

First Annual Maasai Olympics - Part II

This is Part II of III in our series on the First Annual Maasai Olympics.  Click here to see Part I...

Near the beginning of the 5000m, when it was still a closely-contested race.

Having finished the throwing events the Olympics progressed to the running events, with 800 metre world record-holder, reigning Olympic gold medal champion, and Maasai tribe member David Rudisha serving as honorary guest and race official.  First was the 5000-metre run, contested over 12 1/2 laps on the makeshift 400-metre track lined with cheering spectators.

The beautiful medals given as prizes for the five main events - javelin, rungu, 200m, 5000m, and high jumping.

After some early battling for the lead by a trio of Mbirikani runners, a runner from Rombo took over the race and won handily, by more than 200 metres.  With his victorious race he won a trip to the United States to run in the 2013 New York Marathon, a trip sponsored by the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.  If you would like to join the MWCT Team and run with this proud warrior in November, please follow this blog and check back soon!

After each event, members of the victorious manyatta would storm the field and parade their champion around.

The 5000 metres was followed by the first women's event, the 1500-metre run.  A close-fought race from start to finish, it was a great chance for the young Maasai women to participate in the Olympics as well.  Next came the sprints, with Mbirikani sweeping the top two spots in the 200-metre sprint, and a spirited 100-metre dash from the women.

This is Part II of III in our series on the First Annual Maasai Olympics.  Check back in a couple days for the final installment, Part III...