Eldoret is the fifth largest city in Kenya. In the Rift Valley region, it serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'. As per the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Eldoret is the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Ruiru. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) at the airport to more than 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) in nearby areas. The population was 289,380 in the 2009 Census, and it was the fastest growing city in Kenya with 475,716 people according to 2019 National Census. Eldoret was on course to be named Kenya's fourth city, but was edged out by Nakuru in 2021.
Uasin Gishu County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in the former Rift Valley Province. Eldoret has the county's largest population centre as well as its administrative and commercial centre. "It lies between longitudes 34 degrees 50' east and 35 degrees 37' West and latitudes 0 degrees 03' South and 0 degrees 55' North. It is a highland plateau with altitudes falling gently from 2,700 meters above sea level to about 1,500 meters above sea level. The topography is higher to the east and declines gently towards the western border".
The Elgeyo are an ethnic group who are part of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group of Nilotic origin. They live near Eldoret, Kenya, in the highlands of the former Keiyo District, now part of the larger Elgeyo Marakwet County. The Elgeyo originally settled at the foothills of the Elgeyo escarpment, in the area between Kerio river to the east and the escarpment to the west. Due to drought and famine in the valley, the Keiyos climbed the escarpment and started to settle on the highland east of Uasin Gishu plateau. When the British came, the Keiyos were pushed to settle in clusters called reserves.
Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized in the 5000 metres. Regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, he is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion, and was the world record holder in the marathon from 2018 to 2023, with a time of 2:01:09 set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, until that record was broken by Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:00:35. He has run four of the 10 fastest marathons in history.
The Marakwet are one of the groups forming the ethnolinguistic Kalenjin community of Kenya, they speak the Markweta language. The Marakwet live in five territorial sections namely Almoo, Cherangany, Endoow, Sombirir (Borokot) and Markweta. Cutting across these territorial groups are a number of clans to which each Marakwet belongs. There were 119,969 Marakwet people in 2019.
Kapsabet is a town in Kenya. It is the capital of Nandi County and is located 40 kilometres southwest of Eldoret on the way to Chavakali.
Nandi County is a county in Kenya in the North Rift, occupying an area of 2,884.4 square kilometres. Its capital, Kapsabet, is the largest town in the county while other towns include Mosoriot, Tinderet, Kobujoi, Kaiboi, Kabiyet and Nandi Hills. According to a 2019 census, the county has a population of 885,711, made up of a number of Kenyan communities, the majority of whom belong to the native tribe called Nandi.
Kapatarakwa is a village in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. Kaptarakwa is located about 37 km from the town of Eldoret in the Kenyan highlands. Kaptarakwa is about 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level. Nearby is the Kerio Escarpment which drops down to 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level.
Kimwarer is a village in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya. It is located along the B54 Road between Eldoret and Tenges, in the southern part of Kerio Valley and in the drainage basin area of the Kerio River. One of the nearest villages is Kaptagat, located 10 kilometres west of Kimwarer on the Highlands. The nearest larger town, Eldoret, is 50 kilometres west of Kimwarer. Electorally Kimwarer is part of the Soy ward of Keiyo South Constituency and Keiyo County Council.
Chepkorio is a village in Kenya. It is located in Keiyo South Constituency, Elgeyo-Marakwet County. It lies on the B54 highway, to the northwest of Kaptagat.
Laban Kipngetich Korir is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in road running competitions. He is currently part of the NN Running Team, an international team of elite long-distance runners managed by Global Sports Communication in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Elgeyo-Marakwet County is one of Kenya's 47 counties, which is located in the former Rift Valley Province with its capital and largest town as Iten. It borders the counties of West Pokot to the north, Baringo County to the east, southeast and south, Uasin Gishu to the southwest and west, and Trans Nzoia to the northwest.
Uasin Gishu District, also known as Eldoret District, was one of the districts of Kenya, located in the Rift Valley Province. The town of Eldoret was its capital, administrative and commercial centre. It bordered the Trans-Nzoia District.
Paul Kiplimo Boit was a prominent KANU politician during the Moi Regime. He was the Chairman of Sirikwa County Council (which later came to be divided to Nandi County, Uasin Gishu County, Trans Nzoia County, West Pokot County Elgeyo Marakwet County from 1964 to 1971 and later became the Chairman of Wareng County Council one of five Councils split from Sirikwa covering Uasin Gishu. He was best known for his excellent farming skills which earned him many awards and a visit from the former Tanzanian president Ali Hassan Mwinyi
The Sengwer people are an indigenous community who primarily live in the Embobut forest in the western highlands of Kenya and in scattered pockets across Trans Nzoia, West Pokot and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties. The Sengwer are sometimes portrayed as a component of the Marakwet people but are a distinct ethnic grouping.
Brigid Jepchirchir Kosgei is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specialises in the marathon. She won the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon. Kosgei was the marathon world record holder for women running in a mixed-sex race, with a time of 2:14:04 achieved on 13 October 2019 at the Chicago Marathon. She won the silver medal in the marathon event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Global Sports Communication (GSC) is a sports management company based in Nijmegen, Netherlands. It primarily manages elite track-and-field athletes and distance runners, specializing in sprint events, middle-distance events, field events, and road races including the marathon. The company is currently managed by former Dutch Olympian Jos Hermens. Some of the most notable athletes that GSC manages include Eliud Kipchoge, Geoffrey Kamworor, Kenenisa Bekele, and Almaz Ayana.
NN Running Team is a professional running team based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 2017 by Jos Hermens, the director of Global Sports Communication. The team's title sponsor is the Dutch insurance company NN Group. The running team includes some of the most accomplished distance runners in the world, including many Olympians. One of NN Running Team's training camps is located in Kaptagat, Kenya.
Kelvin Kiptum Cheruiyot was a Kenyan long-distance runner and the marathon world record holder when he died. He ran three of the seven fastest marathons in history and was ranked first among the world's men's marathon runners.
Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo, better known as Edwin Chiloba, was a Kenyan fashion designer, model, and LGBTQ activist.
Kenya