Uganda, Sept. 20 -- The day after 19-year-old Jacob Kiplimo won the 5,000m race in Ostrava, Czech Republic, I had an animated conversation with an acquaintance regarding athletics in this country. He had some interesting suggestions on how to motivate athletes and how to improve our chances of success on the track and field at the world stage. He suggested that athletes, even those already employed, say in prisons or police, should be given special pay or allowances over and above their regular earnings.
He went on to propose that the person in charge at the national level should be an athlete, past or present. He even moved that the government should take a keen interest in the wellbeing of its athletes, since they are national assets. Gi...