Kevin Kiarie arrived back at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on 7 April 2026 with two medals but no official welcome. The 27-year-old skater from Roysambu had just won gold and bronze at the African Championships in Egypt.
While no government officials appeared at the terminal, the Kenyan public stepped in to ensure the champion’s efforts did not go unrewarded.
Instead of a formal state reception, Kiarie was met by his wife, his two young daughters, and a small group of friends. The quiet arrival stood in stark contrast to his achievements on the continental stage.
However, the true celebration was happening online, where a massive fundraising effort was already underway.
The Message to Kenyans
Shortly after his arrival, Kiarie shared a heartfelt message of thanks to the people who funded his journey. He confirmed that Kenyans had come together to raise KSh 80,000 in the moments following his return.
The funds were sent through two different mobile money lines, with KSh 75,000 collected on one and KSh 4,000 on the other.
“Thankyou Kenyans For Your Donations, We Have Now Raised Ksh. 80,000. 75 On One Line & 4 On the Other. God Bless You All!” he said.
Kiarie was open about how much this support meant to him personally. He revealed that the donations were immediately used to settle financial burdens that had been weighing on his career.
He specifically noted that he had managed to pay off part of a debt from a previous trip to Singapore, where a well-wisher had sponsored him.
"I had some debts and I have managed to pay some. Someone had sponsored me to Singapore last year through debt and it’s almost fully paid."
A Career Built on Resilience
This was not the first time the skater had to rely on his own initiative. Kiarie’s trip to Cairo was made possible by an earlier public appeal that raised over KSh 200,000 for his travel and stay.
Throughout his career, he has often represented the country without any financial help from the state or the local skating federation.
He previously travelled to Benin alone to compete, acting as his own coach and support staff. Despite these challenges, he returned with gold and silver medals.
Kiarie remains dedicated to his craft, training virtually with a professional coach based in Singapore to maintain his international standards.
The champion is now looking toward his next set of goals. He plans to attend a high-level training programme in China to further sharpen his skills. 
Following that, he has his sights set on representing Kenya at the World Games in Paraguay.
