GENDER AND TRACK IN AFRICA

(Run Girl Run!)

Each year new athletes record amazing performances. It is out with the old and in with the new as the younger generation begins to take center stage. The new athletes are most evident among African countries. The 2007 Cross Country World Championships held in Kenya was dominated by African athletes, especially in the youth division. Living in Kenya for nearly a year, I have noticed that the same Kenyan girls who placed 1-4 in the youth division, even with their top athlete dropping out after miscalculating the laps. This team of young ladies overwhelmed the competition! There were so many Kenyan girls crossing the line in the top 20 it felt like a duel meet vs. a JV squad. So I wondered, the Kenyan men excel at the professional level, but only a few girls reach the same level. Considering the number of elite youth female athletes in Kenya I continue to wonder why these girls cannot perform as well at the top levels. As a missionary in Kenya the reasons are obvious and very basic. Survival in Africa is more important than track and field.

In Kenya, and all across Africa, girls are not treated equally. As a matter of fact, in some cases, girls are treated worse than animals with no basic human rights. Girls in Africa are subject to rape, domestic violence and even being married at a young age for a bridal fee. With all these obstacles, girls in Kenya continue to dominate at the youth level. They are models for perseverance. The Kenyan girls dominated the distance events at the recent 2007 Youth World Track and Field Championships, even sweeping the girls mile. The future is looking bright for the women runners as Vivian Cherviydi won the Senior Women’s mile at the 2007All Africa Games in Algeria, shaving 15 seconds off the Kenya national record. As I watched the women’s mile live on television, this is usual in Kenya, I did not just see a woman winning. I saw the beginning of a new generation of Kenyan female athletes who have waited for a long time to shine on the senior circuit, just like their East African counterparts.

In one year I have realized that Kenyan juniors are without a shadow of a doubt, the best distance runners in the world. Ethiopia is their only true rival, but after this years Youth Championships, the Kenyans made it clear they are the powerhouse distance team in the world. With so much promise, the men, including Bernard Legat, former Kenyan now an American citizen, seem to easily transition into the pro circuit and earn lots of money and fame. Yet the Kenyan women seem to lack a proper transition to the Senior level. Many obstacles get in their way as they go from teenager to adult. In Kenya, and the rest of Africa, these stumbling blocks are keeping us from witnessing some of the best track and field talent in the world. The next 1500m Olympic Champion could be sitting in an African village, fetching water and tending to the children.

It is easy to notice that girls mature faster than boys. As teenagers, girls are reaching their peak while boys are still maturing. So it is easy to summarize that the Kenyan girls are just peaking too early and are burning out. Upon investigation, this could not be further from the truth. In Kenya, track is a serious matter. It is treated with the respect that we give football in America. It is a way out of the slums and to a better life for the poor. But most of all, track in Kenya is about national pride! Training is specifically designed and times to avoid burning out runners at early ages. Track is a way of life so girls always aspire to be the next Olympic Champion. Unfortunately, the family structure in Africa does not afford girls equal opportunities to succeed as boys.

In Africa, boys are given professional guidance and trainers while girls are overlooked. Boys are deemed more important so the majority of finances and resources will be used to train male athletes. Cultural issues which limit girls participation in athletics also keeps African girls from training properly. Social issues, including marriage, peer pressure and family obligations become overwhelming. When an African man is training for a marathon he is viewed as a role model. When a woman is training for the Olympics, people are wondering why she is not home taking care of the children. These are some of the societal issues that girls in Africa must face everyday. Sometimes it is hard to explain, but in Africa it is almost like the duty of the girl to get married, have children and make her family happy. These barriers overwhelm girls as they are unable to focus on track and field as a career or an opportunity to go to college. (Girls education is an entirely different subject I will touch on later) The woman in Africa is the backbone of the family and the community. Survival depend on the woman as she cooks, cleans, takes care of the children and in many cases, she also earns the money. Girls are trained to follow their mothers and to be good wives to their husband, no matter what! Thus, with all these complications, many promising young athletes never make it past High School. Girls in Kenya die of easily preventable diseases as the boys are given preference with medical care. Girls are often raped and molested resulting in pregnancy which instantly terminates their track career. Girls are considered the last in line as boys are given preferential treatment, especially where athletics are concerned. Many girls dreams are killed before they even have a chance to live!

Money also plays a major factor in developing young African girls. In Kenya, half the population lives on less than $1 per day. This level is probably higher among runners as most come from the upcountry where the poverty is even worse. In these areas electricity, running water and sewage are a luxury. There are over 2 million orphans in Kenya and sickness and disease (including HIV/AIDS) continue to plague the up country areas. Without proper guidance, many girls are enticed to leave their poverty by the promise of big money overseas. Many see the money and over train, ultimately burning themselves out. Many leave school and find life too challenging in Europe as a young African. Many, due to tribal customs, which do not allow women to train, practice in secret, but are unable to sustain proper training levels. However, in a country where children play in raw sewage and people die of starvation every day. One cannot blame the girls for seeking greener pastures. In a country with very few social programs and no relief for the poor, for these girls track is a way to a better life. Many young Kenyan women also switch citizenships to afford themselves better opportunities in other countries. (i.e. Bernard Legat) With all the obstacles and barriers in track and field in Africa, oftentimes an athlete is welcomed into another country, literally being bought to run. Yet sometimes it goes unnoticed as most countries adopt runners in the Middle East and the African athletes change their given names to Arabic names. Next time you watch an international meet you will notice many men and women who are originally from Kenya running for other countries. Even though the practice is frowned upon in Kenya, it is the only logical solution to life’s problems in Africa. Even the winner of the Women’s marathon at the World Cross Country Championships was born in Kenya but now runs under the Swiss flag.

In a landscape of poverty, disease, violence, intimidation, rape and hunger, young African runners become the beacon of hope for other girls who are desperately trying to leave their life of poverty. With veteran runner Catherine Ndereba, 3 time Boston Marathon Champion, leading the way for the Kenya contingent to the 2007 World Championships in Japan, watch out for the young Kenyan runners. Most of them will be under 20 and will be competing at this level for the first time. Most of the girls on this team will have experienced some form of molestation, abandonment or prejudice because they are girls and they live in a society where rules and laws do not apply equally to women. What these girls go through on a daily basis is unthinkable to Americans. Resisting all the temptations of life in the slums, such as drinking, drugs and pregnance. One thing I have learned is that poverty breeds all kinds of deviant behaviors as these girls are targets for sexual predators and child abuse. Overcoming prejudice against girls, especially in schools, these girls are battling cultural biases which go back hundreds if not thousands of years. In a society that limits the rights and privileges of girls, the track has become their safe haven. Every time I see a young African girl cross the line and smile proudly wearing her African colors, it is a victory. Weather they win a Gold medal or come in last these African girls have already won. The girls of Kenya, and the rest of Africa, have won the Gold medal in life! RUN GIRL RUN!

Stacy Harris

salexanderharris@yahoo.com