Athletics
Eurosport - Pippa Davis - 21/09/2006 12:49
World marathon record holder Paul Tergat has admitted that he is close to retiring. Tergat has made no secret of the fact he wishes to help develop the sport in his native Kenya and said that he has only “a few years before I call it quits”.
"They say that life begins at 40, but in athletics, that is when life ends," Tergat said when addressing over 100 athletes attending an investment workshop in Eldoret on Wednesday.
"I am approaching there and may soon be out of action."
Tergat announced that he had already started an initiative to develop athletics in Kenya by organising the upcoming 'Paul Tergat 10 Race'.
The race - to be held in Nairobi next year - is a new 10km event that has been organised to attract more foreign runners.
"Being in a high altitude zone, Nairobi has not been an ideal destination for runners in the longer distances such as the marathon. The Paul Tergat 10 has come in as an alternative," he added.
"In coming up with this idea I sought to bring home a race that would be enjoyed by all ages and groups, whether individual or corporate."
Tergat also called on the Government to help with such events, stating that the allocation of national funding to sporting activities in the country "was still wanting."
"We need more support. Recent developments in various sporting activities where our sportsmen have done Kenya proud worldwide have shown that this is an area worth investing in," Tergat said.
His world record of 2 hours 4 minute 55 seconds that he set in Berlin in 2003.
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