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The Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet named after Kenya\u2019s athletics pioneer, legend and celebrated runner will be renamed William Ruto Stadium in honour of the country\u2019s president,.<\/strong><\/p>\n Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said the renaming of the facility aims to recognise the president\u2019s support to sports in the country and his efforts of improving the stadium.<\/p>\n Speaking during the groundbreaking of the stadium, Sang said the renaming will also cushion against the confusion caused by two sporting facilities in the region named Kipchoge Keino Stadium both in Eldoret and Kapsabet.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, and ours in Nandi is also called Kipchoge Keino Stadium. We shall rename ours to William Ruto Stadium to avoid confusion and to acknowledge the support we have received from the president,\u201d Sang said.<\/p>\n The reconstruction is ongoing, and the county government expects the renamed facility to serve as a modern sports hub for athletes and residents in Nandi County.<\/p>\n Sang outlined the planned features of the stadium, including a World Athletics\u2013certified tartan track, seating for 10,000 spectators with the possibility of expansion to 15,000, and a FIFA\/CAF-compliant football pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cThe design includes LED floodlights with plans for solar integration, VIP and VVIP lounges, hospitality boxes, and a media and press centre to support high-quality reporting and broadcasting,\u201d Sang said.<\/p>\n He added that the stadium will offer a high-performance environment for athletes, with warm-up areas, a gymnasium, and an accommodation block for training camps.<\/p>\n \u201cThe accommodation block will allow teams and athletes to train conveniently within the complex,\u201d Sang explained.<\/p>\n The project also includes expanded parking, improved roads, and enhanced security.<\/p>\n Kipchoge Keino a former National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) chairman is a legendary Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of African athletics on the global stage.<\/p>\n Keino rose to international fame in the 1960s and 1970s, becoming one of the first athletes to showcase the talent and potential of Kenyan runners in distance events. His impact on the sport has been profound, inspiring generations of athletes from Africa and beyond.<\/p>\n Born in Nandi in 1940 Hezekiah Kipchoge Keino has become synonymous with the phrase \u201crun like a Kenyan\u201d.<\/p>\n Keino was elected chairman of the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) in 1999 and served until 2017.<\/p>\n In 2012, Kipchoge Keino was among the inductees in the IAAF (now World Athletics) Hall of Fame, the same year in which Bristol City Council awarded him freedom of the city, making him the first to receive this honour from Bristol since Sir Winston Churchill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n