Peres Jepchirchir Economy Flight Uproar Wins Business Class Upgrade for Kenyan Medallists

A viral video of Peres Jepchirchir in economy sparked outrage, forcing Kenya to upgrade all World Athletics medallists to business class.

A wave of public outcry and disappointment has prompted the government to reverse its controversial travel arrangements for Kenyan athletes who win medals at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

In a swift and decisive move, Evans Achoki, the Secretary of Administration for Sports, has promised that all Kenyan medallists from the ongoing event will now fly back home in business class.

This comes as a significant upgrade from the previous protocol that saw heroes like Peres Jepchirchir, who had just won Kenya a gold medal in the marathon, in economy.

The catalyst for this change was a video of Peres Jepchirchir, who had just won a hard-fought gold medal in the women’s marathon, travelling in economy class.

The video, which went viral across social media platforms, ignited a firestorm of criticism from Kenyans who felt that their national heroes were being disrespected.

Fans flooded online platforms with messages of outrage and disappointment, questioning why an athlete who had brought so much glory to the country was not afforded the dignity and comfort of a business-class seat.

Many pointed out the contrast between the athletes’ sacrifices and their modest treatment, arguing that their achievements deserved to be celebrated with the utmost respect.

“But why on economy class🤔 tena the dreaded middle seat😟,” a fan commented on the video.

“What kind of an honour 😏😏😏Was there no honourable seat for her?” another fan noted.

“Why is she seating on economy seat? Honored her with first class seat hii PR yenu ni bs tu😂,” another one reacted.

“They could have upgraded her to first class. We all know it’s never full. 😅,” one added.

In response to the public pressure, Evans Achoki confirmed the new travel plans, acknowledging the need to properly reward the athletes.

“The travel arrangements have been made, and we intend to fly all the medallists in business class so that they can be rewarded for their good performance. We believe this will motivate them to work harder,” Achoki said.

The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have been a showcase of incredible talent and resilience from the Kenyan team.

So far, the country has secured four gold medals, and two bronze, with each performance adding to the national pride.

Faith Kipyegon secured her fourth world title in the 1500m, further solidifying her status as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Her win was followed by Faith Cherotich’s expected triumph in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, where she upstaged a formidable field to claim gold. Beatrice Chebet and Peres Jepchirchir also won Kenya gold medals.

In the men’s 1500m, Reynold Cheruiyot secured a bronze medal, adding to Kenya’s growing tally with Edmund Serem also winning bronze in the 3000m steeplechase.

Beyond the business class flights, there is more good news for the athletes. Barnaba Korir, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya president, provided a much-needed update on the financial front.

“I’m also happy to hear that all the allowances that had not been cleared have already been cleared,” Korir stated. “I have confirmed this from some of the top athletes who are very excited. This time around, the government has done its bit and we are still hoping for some more medals.”

This clearance of allowances addresses another common complaint from athletes, who have often had to wait for long periods to receive their rightful dues.