Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebrselassie visits Nairobi National Park ahead of SOYA Awards

Two-time Olympic 10,000m champion Haile Gebrselassie toured Nairobi National Park on Friday morning, April 11, 2025, as a guest of the Kenya Tourism Board ahead of the 22nd Sports Personality of the Year Awards held that evening at Uhuru Gardens.

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) arranged the game drive as part of its official sponsorship of the 2026 SOYA Awards.

Gebrselassie, who is in Nairobi as chief guest of the ceremony, was accompanied by Kenyan athletics icon and SOYA founder Paul Tergat, his long-time rival on the track.

"It was an amazing experience, to see not only the animals this morning but the beautiful landscapes and scenery, all within the city," Gebrselassie said. "Kenyans should be proud of such a spectacle. I wish we could have such things back home."

The Ethiopian, who won consecutive Olympic 10,000m gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2000 Sydney Games, is widely regarded as one of the greatest distance runners in history.

He and Tergat share one of athletics' most celebrated rivalries, with Tergat finishing second to Gebrselassie in both Olympic finals.

KTB Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei said the visit was part of a broader effort to use high-profile sporting events to market Kenya as a tourism destination, particularly across the African continent.

"Partnerships of this nature are instrumental in growing and diversifying Kenya's tourism product. By hosting regional icons like Haile Gebrselassie, we are not only celebrating sporting excellence but also sending a strong invitation to our neighbours and the wider regional market," Chepkemei said.

She added that sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally and that Kenya, with its sporting history and wildlife, is positioned to benefit from that growth.

Tergat, who founded SOYA in 2004, said the partnership with KTB added significance to the occasion.

"This trip to the Nairobi National Park is a testament to the beauty of our country and the potential we have to use sports as a bridge to promote our tourism," he said. "It has set the stage for a great evening where we will be celebrating sporting excellence."

As part of its sponsorship, KTB will award the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year with a fully paid holiday at a destination of their choosing.

The 22nd SOYA Awards honour the outstanding performances of Kenyan athletes over the past year.

Among those nominated for the top individual honours are middle-distance world champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, 5,000m and 10,000m world champion Beatrice Chebet, 1,500m world champion Faith Kipyegon, professional golfer Njoroge Kibugu, and footballer Ryan Ogam.

Chebet and Wanyonyi won the corresponding awards at last year's ceremony.

The presence of Gebrselassie as chief guest is consistent with SOYA's stated goal of growing into a pan-African platform.

Tergat has previously indicated plans to expand the awards beyond Kenya into the wider East African region.