Ugandan media personality Lucky Mbabazi stirred a debate online after jokingly claiming that Kenya's 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon is Ugandan.
This was after the middle-distance runner gave Kenya the first gold medal in the women's 1,500 metres in the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
Faith Kipyegon’s Ugandan name
In an update on her Facebook page, the radio presenter congratulated Kipyegon for the win, further giving her a Ugandan name, Akiiki Mbabazi.
Mbabazi went ahead to joke about how the athlete’s parents are Ugandans who happened to relocate and settle in Kenya.
She said Kipyegon’s parents left Uganda for Kenya 30 years ago.
“Our sister whose parents left Uganda to settle in Kenya 30 years ago, has won a gold medal. Fellow East Africans, join me in congratulating our sister "Faith Akiiki Mbabazi" aka Faith Kipyegon,” Mbabazi wrote on Facebook.
Reactions online
The statement sparked mixed reactions from Kenyans who took note of the claims and argued that Kipyegon was full Kenyan.
Twesigye Allan: "I can see the route you are taking but let me hope it will finish well for you. Anyway congratulations, our sister."
Kassim KE: “Infact our brother Joshua Cheptegei is the one who won gold for Uganda Kenyans come we celebrate our own.”
Jamie Nants: “Lucky go slow those people can start again from where they stopped. Since yesterday my Kenyan friend is not talking to me. Otherwise congratulations to her.”
Beth Gituma: "Faith is ours, she is Kenyan. She left where, banange come slowly. Congratulations to my countrywoman."
Faith Kipyegon shines in Oregon
Kipyegon has won the first Gold for Kenya at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
She emerged winner in the Women’s 1500m Final after crossing the finish line at 3:52.96 ahead of Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia and Laura Muir of Britain won silver and bronze respectively.
Kipyegon reclaimed the tittle having lost it to Dutch Sifan Hassan during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.
Following her win in Oregon, she becomes the first runner to win four medals in the championship.
She won gold in London (2017), Silver in Beijing (2015) and Doha (2019).
