Kaptagat Explained

Official Name:Kaptagat
Pushpin Map:Kenya
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Kenya
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Kenya
Subdivision Type1:County
Subdivision Name1:Uasin Gishu County
Unit Pref:Imperial
Timezone:EAT
Utc Offset:+3
Timezone Dst:None
Coordinates:0.4369°N 35.4558°W
Elevation M:2500
Postal Code Type:Post code, Postal code

Kaptagat is a settlement in Uasin Gishu County, in the southwestern part of Kenya. This part of the country, where the two counties of Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet County share a border, is used by the majority of Kenyan professional long-distance runners to train for professional competition.[1] Eliud Kipchoge, the former marathon world record holder, and the Tokyo Olympics and Rio Olympics marathon gold medalist, maintains a training camp in Kaptagat.[2]

Location

Kaptagat is located in Kaptagat Ward, Ainabkoi sub-county, at the eastern edge of Uasin Gishu County, approximately 24km (15miles) by road, east of the city of Eldoret, along the B54 Road, and approximately 14km (09miles) by road, northwest of the small town of Chepkorio, in neighboring Elgeyo Marakwet County, along the same B54 Road.

Athletics training camps

Kaptagat is home to the Great Rift Valley Sports Camp, a training camp for many Kenyan runners including Elijah Lagat, Eliud Kipchoge, Moses Tanui and Brimin Kipruto. Kaptagat is also home to Chepkorio Athletics Club, a club that caters for student athletes. Global Sports Communication's athletics training camp is also located in Kaptagat.[2] [3]

Other considerations

Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, a Kenyan professional long-distance runner who competes in cross country, marathon, and half marathon competitions, was born in 1992, in Chepkorio Village, not far from Kaptagat. He undergoes some of his training at Chepkoilel Grounds in Eldoret.[4] Plateau Mission Hospital is located in nearby Plateau, Kenya, approximately 12km (07miles), west of Kaptagat.

Marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum died in a car crash in Kaptagat at 11:00 pm local time on 11 February 2024. Local police stated that Kiptum lost control of his vehicle and veered off the road, before entering a ditch and colliding with a tree.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Runblogrun.com . A view from Kenya: 2400m to 2800m Altitue run in Kaptagat, Kenya, by Justin Lagat . 12 January 2014 . Larry Eder . 21 March 2022.
  2. Web site: . 'Drink a lot of tea': what can be learned from a Kenyan marathon great . 11 October 2018 . Matt Cleary . 21 March 2022 . London, United Kingdom.
  3. Web site: maykuth.com . A dash to marathon country: A side trip in search of Kenyan runners' long-distance secrets . 25 April 2000 . Andrew Maykuth . 21 March 2022 . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
  4. Web site: Geoffrey Kamworor: Man of all surfaces . . 20 July 2016 . Bernard Rotich . 21 March 2022 . Nairobi, Kenya.