Let's criticize our athletes less and celebrate them more - Ruto - video Dailymotion

The Star Kenya

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.

Let's criticize our athletes less and celebrate them more - Ruto

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