Ibrahim Kipkemboi Hussein had no intention of pursuing running as a career in his formative years.
He, however, wanted to use athletics as a vehicle to secure a scholarship, return home, get a good job, and start working.
However, things turned out differently when he joined the University of Mexico in Albuquerque, USA on a scholarship.
After graduating in 1984, he got another Adidas scholarship and ended up competing in major races around the world.
“I broke many records while racing in the United States. As a result, my life changed drastically, and many doors began to open. I was advised to begin running marathons. With the assistance of Adidas, I won in New York in 1987 after trying unsuccessfully the previous year,” Hussein elaborated.
After finishing ninth in 1985 in 2:15:55 and fourth in 1986 in 2:12:51, Hussein went on to win the 1987 New York City Marathon in 2:11:01.
“Winning the race put me on the world map. I was invited to participate in other major races like the Boston Marathon, which I won in 1988 and 1992,” Hussein explained.
His victory in New York was widely celebrated and the following year, he was invited to Boston. He made an effort to participate in the race despite the cold weather.
“I trained for a while in Boston to acclimatise. I prepared very well and that’s why I was able to win in 2:08:43, a national record at the time,” he explained.
He tells how, in his time, preparing for a marathon could take up to six months before participating in the 42km race but he could also compete in several other races.
“But when you get to the top, you only run three races, two marathons and a smaller one unlike what we were used to. Athletes now train a lot. Young people who train now do it every day. You may wonder if you are training too much. Look at Eliud Kipchoge’s program,” observed Hussein.
“Nowadays, these guys do a lot of work compared to what we used to do. During our time, athletes were few. Running alongside talented athletes like Douglas Wakiihuri at that top level helped me break the national record.”
Although he began participating in athletics early in life, Hussein said he took running seriously while in high school.
“I was identified as an athlete very early in my life, competing in the steeplechase, 800m, and 1,500m, so when I went to high school, I broke the national steeplechase record in 1977,” he said.
“When I broke the national record, I immediately started chasing a scholarship to study in the USA. I didn’t intend to pursue running as a career. I just wanted to go to university, come home, and get a good job.”
Hussein remains a unique sports personality, having been one of the few Kenyans to grace the cover of the influential American news magazine Time in 1992.
Hussein says that despite his running success, he cannot publicly disclose his net worth for personal reasons, mainly because this would violate the cultural norms of his Kalenjin community.
In response to his accomplishments, Hussein thanked his parents and his humble background, saying he never allowed his celebrity status to get into his head.
“I thank my parents because they taught me to appreciate the little things in life. We had a difficult upbringing; I did not come from a wealthy family. We were poor in material things, but rich in knowledge and pointing us in the right direction,” he said.
He adds that, given his circumstances, he approached any success with caution, knowing well that it was also important for him to invest.
He goes on to say that he took the opportunities he was given seriously and that he wasn’t squandering everything he had because he knew there was a future in which he hoped to build a family and be a good role model, just like his parents.
Upon retirement, Hussein donated everything he owned to aspiring athletes.
“You might not find anything in my closet. I donated everything I had in terms of athletics gear. I’m overjoyed because people have appreciated what I’ve given them,” he said.
“As a Kalenjin and a Nandi, I am not allowed to brag about what I have. However, just to mention a few, I am the proprietor of Lobo Village which I invested in in 1992. The Agnes Tirop Memorial Cross country now Sirikwa Classic is held on my piece of land.”
Hussein says he is also keen on training technical officials.
“I assist Athletics Kenya by training coaches and federation officials. We identify some lecturers who are good at coaching and train them. In Africa, everyone wants to officiate, including volunteers, but this cannot work.
“We, therefore organise courses for them — the higher you go, the more tough it is. In this case, one must score 100% because if an infringement occurs, one should not guess or compromise. We don’t compromise here; we follow the rule, and to follow the rule, one must fully understand it. You can’t have a guy who got 50 per cent to officiate in a big event because he might disqualify someone incorrectly,” he explained.
Back in his community, he claims that his age qualifies him to be an elder whose advice to the next generation cannot be ignored.
“At this age, I am a positive role model in the community,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hussein describes how his Muslim name has previously caused him problems.
“In 1984, I was among the top athletes in 10,00m and 5,000m but somehow some of those people who were doing the selection believed that I was not a Kenyan because I was based in the USA. I could have made it to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and done well, but people didn’t believe I was a Kenyan because of my name,” he recalled.
“However, when I ran in 1987 and saw the name Kipkemboi, people again began saying, ‘mtu wetu’ (our person). I may have been denied the opportunity to run for the country, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying that I was not allowed to compete.”
“I was doing well in road races like 10km and 12km as well as track races like 5,000m and 10,000m. I could have done very well at the Olympics if I had gone, but my name cost me. Names like Joseph, Mathew and Elijah are as good as Ibrahim, Yusuf and Mohammed, alongside many others.
“These are simply religious names. My immediate family is predominantly Muslim. My parents are Muslims, but my grandfather was a traditionalist,” the father of four explains.
During the Honolulu Marathon’s Golden Jubilee celebrations last year, the iconic runner was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The soft-spoken Director of World Athletics’ Regional Development Centre (WARDC) in Nairobi, says he felt honoured and privileged.
He reckons he earned the award on merit, having been the first African to win the New York Marathon.
“It is a success for any athlete in the world to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It was an honour to be inducted into the Honolulu and New York marathons. That is excessive respect, and I believe they did it because I was the first African to win the New York marathon,” he said.
“It was an honour to be in that class of the Hall of Fame. “There is a panel that sits and analyzes the parameters to use. The board talked about my career that lasted five decades,” Hussein added.