Let's criticize our athletes less and celebrate them more - Ruto
President William Ruto on Thursday urged Kenyans not to be too hard on athletes with criticism but to celebrate their successes more.
Transcript
00:00This morning is a great morning, ladies and gentlemen, as I receive Beatrice, Faith, Emanuel,
00:09Kwemoy, Obiri, and all the good people.
00:14These people are great Kenyans.
00:18It is not always that on a global stage a country is celebrated.
00:27It reminds us as a country what we can achieve together.
00:33I want to persuade us as Kenyans to celebrate our successes.
00:44We are a great nation.
00:47I know we set standards, very high standards for ourselves, but I also want to dare say
00:54that even as we set standards very high for ourselves, let us remember to celebrate our
01:00achievements.
01:02Let us remember to celebrate our success.
01:07It is not always that you become number one in Africa.
01:13It is not always that you become number two globally in athletics.
01:18It is a major feat.
01:22Even as we criticize ourselves, we must remember to celebrate our success so that we don't
01:31judge ourselves too harshly and sometimes bring down the spirits of the men and women
01:39who do their best, go out of their way, make sacrifices to make our country great.
01:49In our Middle East, we have great men and women.
01:52We have Kipchoge Kaino here, a legend.
01:59Can we celebrate Kipchoge Kaino?
02:11We have always known Kipchoge Kaino.
02:14In fact, many people think he's in the league of Vasco da Gama because he's part of our
02:21history.
02:22He's part of what we learned as we grew up.
02:26The fact that he's still here in our Middle East is a great testament of what sports can
02:32do to a person.
02:34Congratulations, Mzee, and we will continue to celebrate you.
02:39We have great sportsmen.
02:40Just seated next to him is a great medalist, gold medalist, Ezekiel Kemboi, Mbige Makofi
02:49Ezekiel.
02:50At one point, he was called Baba Yao of sports.
02:57Of course, we have the great man who is now the president of our NOC, Paul Tergat, Mbige
03:08Makofi, and we have many.
03:14What do I say about the man who tells us, no man is unlimited, Eliud Kipchoge?
03:24Eliud is a great legend.
03:31I know how people were disappointed.
03:34Many people made a lot of comments.
03:37How can Eliud not finish?
03:42But Eliud, we celebrate you.
03:43You have held our flag high.
03:47You are a great Kenyan.
03:49You are a great legend.
03:51And many of the other athletes, please, people, let us celebrate these men and women.
03:58Let us criticize them less.
04:00They do a lot.
04:01They go out of their way.
04:03They make sacrifices to make our flag be flown in capitals around the world.