The 6th iteration of the Maasai Olympics reached a thrilling finale last weekend, with all the drama one would expect from a competitive athletics event.
The much-anticipated standing Maasai high-jump, held in golden light at the end of a hot afternoon, was won by a previously obscure athlete who soared ahead of two previous winners to claim victory.
The other events, chosen to showcase traditional warrior skills, included 200m, 800m, and 5,000m running races, club-throwing (for accuracy) and spear/javelin throwing for distance. The women’s events have also become an increasingly competitive part of the day’s program; the 100m and 1,500m running events were very close races.
Mbirikani’s warrior team was the overall winner, for the 5th time, and walked away with the prize bull (this time donated by a local community member) and trophy.
The idea of the Maasai Olympics was hatched in 2008 by the Menye Layiok, or Maasai “cultural fathers,” and Big Life to create a sports event based on traditional warrior skills to replace the long-held tradition of hunting lions as a mark of bravery and prestige.
Stephen Masindet, 21, from Rombo, won the 5,000m and 800m races. He said: "I started running in 2021 when I was in high school. I came third position but now I’ve been training a lot and today I came first. The Maasai Olympics encourages warriors not to kill lions. Wildlife like lions helps us so we want to protect wildlife. It brings jobs, school fees, tourists and other things so it’s very good and it motivates young people to become athletes."
Special thanks to our main event sponsors for making the day a success: Charles and Judy Tate, Chester Zoo, Play for Nature / Parc Animalier d’Auvergne, Angama Amboseli and WWF Kenya.
Additional sponsors contributed to make the day a success – thank you to all who supported the games this year.
Hongera sana to all who participated!
📸: Jeremy Goss
