SPORTS

AP sports come of Age
It has been a long and challenging journey but Administration Police sports have finally come of age.  What began as a mean of staying physically fit for the police work has now become a source of income for the concerned officers and a mean to uplift the image of the service.

The AP sports men/women have made major strides in martial arts, footballs, darts and have a special bias towards athletics. They have participated in both local and international sporting activities with the most recent one in Daegu, South Korea and Maputo in Mozambique bringing greatest bundles of joy to the country and Department.

Administration Police having putting up a spirited fight to getting their recognition is now an affiliate member of International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), Athletics Kenya (AF) and Kenya Football Federation (KFF). Just this month, AP football team beat it major rival, KRA team, 2-0 despite having received two red cards.

In the just ended IAAF championships in Daegu, South Korea, Kenya post her most impressive results ever in the history of such competition. She was ranked third position world over. As the country was basking in this glory, the AP in particular was in super-celebratory mode since its gallant hero Abel Kirui led the medal haul by clinching the Marathon Gold for the second time in a row.

Before the mode cooled down, another AP officer Amani Fondo won another Gold in All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique. Fondo just like Kirui in athletics has represented the Administration Police in various international events in Martial Arts. To the AP Commandant and the entire Department, this was the greatest moments of the years even as they prepared to receive the two heros back to the country.

“This is very thrilling and a great encouragement to me and the entire AP service. Kirui and Fondo have really made us proud and elevated the image of the AP to a greater height,” said the AP commandant, Kinuthia Mbugua as he received the duet back to the country.

To many who ran with Kiru at Daegu men’s marathon, he was running normally until it was 20km to the finish line. He swiftly changed his tactic and made a push from his reserved energy that left many spectators’ stunned and astonished. In show of his long-distance-running prowess, Kirui finished in 2hr 7min 38sec, nearly 2 1/2 minutes ahead of teammate Vincent Kipruto (2:10.06) in what was the biggest winning margin in world championships history.

“I pushed the pace from the 20th kilometre and that is what gave me the gold medal. I saved my energy for this championship,” confessed Kirui soon after his victory. “This is history,” Kirui said of his victory. "I wish to fly now to Kenya and celebrate,” he said.

Gold medallist Abel Kirui of Kenya (C) poses with silver medallist Vincent Kipruto of Kenya (L) and Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia (R) during a floral presentation ceremony after the men's marathon at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Daegu on September 4, 2011. Abel Kirui won in 2:07:38 to take the gold medal.

Born in 1986 in Nandi North District,  Abel Kirui has been an upcoming marathon runner. He made his intentions known in 2007 when he came second with a time of 2:06:51 after Haile Gabresselasie when the latter set the world record in the Berlin Marathon.
He has been used by the Kenyan team as a pace setter in Major Events hence showing his commitment to teamwork and the Kenyan team.
He won the 2008 edition of the Vienna Marathon setting a new course record of 2:07:38. He set his personal best (2:06:51) in the classic distance on September 30, 2007 at the Berlin Marathon, where he finished second after Haile Gebrselassie, who set a new marathon world record. The time made Kirui the sixth fastest marathoner in 2007.
On the other hand, Fondo holds a Black Belt in Karate and has successfully represented the country in various international events where in 2007 he was a Bronze medalist in the inter Martial Arts Competition held in Thailand.
He also represented the country in the African Zone 5 Championship where in 2007 and 2008 he was able to clinch the Gold Medal in the Kumite category. In 2009 in Burundi and earlier this year in Kenya he represented the country in both the Kumite and Kata categories where on both occasions he clinched Gold and Silver medals respectively.
He is currently (2011) the East and Central African Champion in both the Kumite and Kata Categories and is presently representing the country in the All African Games being held in Maputo.
The AP Volley team represented the country in various regional tournaments where they performed tremendously. Special mention also goes to the dart team for producing two players who represented Kenya in the UK International Darts Tournament. A number of our athletes have also excelled in Europe and other parts of the world and have made an impact wherever they participated.

Abel Kirui celebrates victory in the men's marathon at the world championships. 

The entire AP fraternity would like to congratulate him and wish Abel Kirui all the best in his future races.