Eliud Kipchoge and King Charles III flag off Karura Forest ‘Run for Nature’ junior marathon race

Photo credit: Ezekiel Aminga

Eliud Kipchoge and King Charles III flag off Karura Forest ‘Run for Nature’ junior marathon race

Mark Kinyanjui 21:00 - 01.11.2023

The marathon legend flagged off the race alongside the King of Britain, who is in Kenya on a four-day trip

The marathon legend flagged off the race alongside King Charles III, who is in Kenya on a four-day trip

King Charles III and the world's greatest-ever marathoner Eliud Kipchoge on Wednesday flagged off the junior marathon race at Karura Forest.

Kipchoge was among other athletes who interacted with King Charles III, who held talks with junior marathoners and walked 700m at Karura Forest during the flagging off.

He flagged off a 15-kilometer marathon race dubbed “Run for Nature".

Speaking during the launch of the marathon, Kipchoge, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, said: “It was a great honour to start the race with the King.

“These young runners are important because it’s the next generation.”

Karura Forest is one of Kenya’s most popular attractions, welcoming 70,000 visitors a month to an area that is being reforested, and has a successful scheme to rewild the canopy with Colobus monkeys.

Charles also planted an Elgon teak sapling with 10-year-old environmental activist Karen Kimani, who told him “we need a clean environment, free from pollution”.

The schoolgirl had written to Charles, asking if she could plant a tree with him but never expected to meet the British monarch.

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After planting the sapling with the King, young activist Karen said: “I’m very excited and happy – this was my wish. I didn’t expect him to come.

“My mum got an email that said ‘The King is coming’ and I thought ‘Oh wow, what is this about?’. Then I heard he was coming to plant the tree.

“I decided to write a letter to the King because I wanted to let him know that children need their voices to be heard.”

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