Kenyan trio takes out x-country competition

America is known as the land of opportunity, and for three Kenyan runners on the ULM cross-country team, opportunity is in good supply.

“Home is better climate wise, but the problem is that we don’t have institutions,” junior Daniel Mutai said.

Mutai, senior Moses Chelimo and junior Silah Chumba, grew up in different parts of Kenya, over 8,000 miles away from Monroe.

They came to find something that cannot be given to them at home.

“The training system is better here, and so it will be easier to get better,” Chumba said.

Chumba is in his first year with the Warhawks and has finished in the top-five in both of the first two competitions in the 8k race.

Mutai is in his second season with ULM, and leads the team with two first-place finishes for the last two competitions.

As the leader on the course, Mutai said he likes having Chumba and Chelimo around him training.

“We are all distance runners, so we encourage each other to get better,” Mutai said.

Mutai said the tactic he uses to win races works. He said he knows the time he needs to qualify at nationals and rank in the top-50.

Chelimo is in his final season with the team and talks about how this program has evolved since his arrival.

Chelimo has been the sole Kenyan for years but appreciates the arrival of Mutai and Chumba from the motherland.

“It feels good that we finally have a chance at winning the conference title,” Chelimo said.

He said being a Kenyan runner is advantageous because of the way he grew up.

He said the difference in nutrition and lifestyle he experienced growing up plays a factor in his running ability.

“I walked a lot as a child,” senior Moses Chelimo said. He said walking naturally made him a stronger runner.

Chelimo has the numbers to show that his roots have benefited him on the college ranks, but as his collegiate career ends, he remains on a mission.

“With running, you just don’t talk, you do it,” he said. “Until you do, talking means nothing.”