Nyantika Maiyoro (1931 – 24 February 2019) was a Kenyan long-distance runner.[1]
Maiyoro attended Nyakegogi Primary School but dropped out after five years to concentrate on his athletics career. He was coached by the paramount chief Musa Nyandusi.[2] He won the 3000 m race at the 1953 Indian Ocean Games in Madagascar, despite having started the race late and joined it when other runners had run more than 100 metres.[3]
He then competed at the 1954 Commonwealth Games, the first major international championships that Kenya participated in. He was fourth in the three miles race.[4] At the 1956 Summer Olympics he finished 7th in the 5000 m race. He competed at the 1958 Commonwealth games, but did not perform very well.[3] Two years later, at the 1960 Summer Olympics he was 6th in the 5000 m race.[5] His time of 13:52.8 minutes was a new African record.[3] He retired from running in 1964.[6]
After retirement, Maiyoro worked as a Nyamira District Sports Officer and later a Gusii Stadium manager. Later, he retired to his farm,[7] located in the Borabu District, which was donated to him by the then-president Jomo Kenyatta.[8] After the 1954 Commonwealth Games he was also given a house (at Gusii Stadium) by Senior Chief Musa Nyandusi. After he retired from his job as a stadium manager, the house was seized by the Gusii municipal council, who claimed that the house was allocated to him only as a housing benefit while he was working for the council as a stadium manager.[6] However, after the issue was highlighted by the Kenyan media, the Prime minister Raila Odinga ordered the house to be returned to Maiyoro.[9]
He had two wives (Mogute and Pasticha) and 14 children.[2] Maiyoro, who ran for Kenya under colonial times, was awarded a MBE honour.[10]