Athletes in Nyahururu yesterday received food aid from a Kenyan runner based in Colorado, USA.

Francis Miaraho, popularly known as Junior in Nyahururu, said he felt it was necessary to assist budding runners whose income has been cut by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Miaraho said his own past experience as a struggling runner informed his decision.

“I have been there and I know what it means to lack something to eat, particularly after training. You don’t need to have a lot of money to assist others,” said Miaraho.

The food donation was handed over to the beneficiaries on behalf of Miaraho by athletes John Mwangi and Stephen Njihia.

They distributed the foodstuff at the athletes homes and also in training camps around Nyahururu town.

Runners expressed gratitude to Miaraho for the compassionate gesture during this challenging period.

Most runners in the region are facing serious economic challenges following the outbreak of Covid-19 and some have turned to hawking in Nyahururu town to make ends meet.

“We only see runners in Eldoret benefiting from donations given by Eliud Kipchoge and we were wondering why it was not happening to us,” said a junior runner.

Kipchoge, through his own initiative, mobilised food donations which he distributed to runners in parts of North and South Rift.

Miaraho promised to continue assisting the runners until the Covid-19 pandemic eases.

Nyahururu is a training base for many elite and budding runners because of its high altitude which makes it conducive for building stamina and speed.

Some of Kenya’s most decorated runners like multiple world steeplechase champion Moses Kiptanui and five-time winner of world cross country John Ngugi trained in the town.

It was widely expected that Athletics Kenya would channel food aid support to the runners in the country during the Covid-19 pandemic but the federation instead opted to airlift athletes who had been stranded in foreign countries following suspension of international flights to Kenya. The athletes were mostly stranded in Asia and South America.