Kenya’s first Javelin Gold Medalist Eunice Nekesa is languishing in poverty, forgotten and ignored by the government which promised to acknowledge and take care of her.
Speaking to the media, Eunice said that she was resigned to getting help from the government and was forced to sell water at a roadside centre in Bungoma.
However, that is not the life she envisioned for herself. She still has a well-kept gold medal awarded when she won the Javelin competition in the 1970s.
Although she was honoured as a national hero by the late President Jomo Kenyatta, many only remember Javelin champion Julius Yego, who came years after her.
“I was throwing the Javelin in many countries including Canada. I went to Egypt and brought back a gold medal at the All-African games. But on Kenya’s record, my name is not included.
“Sometimes I think the government does not know because I don’t know what happened to the officials. I am forced to sell water, every Saturday,” she said.
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Govt Gives Promises to First Kenyan Javelin Gold Medalist
In 2023, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Culture and Heritage Ummi Bashir promised to reach out to Eunice and ensure that she was well taken care of.
“I will fast track and make sure that we reach out to this lady, if we have not already done that. And it is not a time to blame each other and point fingers saying that so and so did not do this,
“I believe that we need to hit the ground running and deliver,” she said then.
However, former athlete is yet to receive communication from the government, depending on help from neighbors and well-wishers to survive.
Also Read: Former Kenyan World Record Holder Henry Rono is Dead
The Story of Eunice Nekesa
Nekesa was born in Misikhu village, Bungoma county, in 1936. She dropped out of school in class three because of lack of school fees and decided to focus on extra-curriculum activities.
In 1978, Nekesa moved to Mombasa to look for better opportunities and ended up at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium where the government was just then selecting candidates to represent the country in the All-African Games.
Although she qualified, the official discriminated her because she was not as polished as the other athletes. The first selection was cancelled, and Eunice showed up for the second round.
This time round, she secured a spot and ended up representing Kenya at the games.
Representing Kenya in 1978 were Henry Rono, who won the 3000m steeplechase in a time of 8:15.82 min, Stephen Muchoki who won the world amateur boxing championship in the light flyweight.
Additionally, Stephen Moi, a boxer, won a gold medal in the middleweight category and Eunice Nekesa who set an African record of 51.58m, beating a US-based athlete of Cameroonian origin Agnes Tchuinte (49.16m).
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