~oun r Far from home, Kenyan runners' talent shines on Kenya n sophomores James Cheruiym and Savica C hel imo and junio r Julius Kosgei attended Harding on athletic scholarships for their ability [0 run long distances and their performance as stand outs amongst their comperico[s, bur the irony of the run– ners' stories was prio r moving to America and attending college, each of them had limited £raining in cross country running. Cheflli yor, C helimo and Kosgei each said rhey had only been running for a few monchs to a few years before rhey were recrui ted to attend the un iversiry. While competi ng on the cross-coumey ream gave rhe foreign athletes an opportuni ty fo r an American college educario l1. rhey said adjusting [Q American cultu re was nO( an easy process for them. C heruiyoc said coming (0 America was hard fo r him at fi rst because the teaching style was d ifferent from what he was used [0. "It was ve ry difficul t for me (0 adjust (0 my srudies here because we use a lot of d ifferent languages back home and not just English," C heruiyot said . "But when you come here, its English all the ri me." Chelimo said the biggest adjustment she had [0 get used [0 was the difference in the sense of communicy. "Back home people live more social lives, mo re like a communi ty," Chelimo said. "Here Ythink people are more individualistic." Kosgei said he also thought Americans were much more individualistic then Kenya ns. "I came (0 learn that when I was here. if you asked the name of your neighbor they cannOt tell you," Kosgei said. "Bur when you are in Kenya you can ask~omeon e who their neighbo r is five miles away and they can name rhem. Each ofthe runners agreed they really missed home, especially since none of them had been back to visit their family in more than two years. "1 have never been home since I came here," Kosgei said. "My family is the number one thing I miss. Every time I call them they as k when am I coming home. I tell them, 'I de1l't know maybe sometime next year.'" Cherui yo t sa id although being away from home was no t easy, his teammates made the transition to American cultu re smoother. "Having teammates is very helpful ," Cherui yot said. "When I wri te a paper, I really like my friends to go dlfough it. 1 can take it to four or five guys to look at it so when I fin ally take it to the teacher, 1 can get a 100 [percelH] on it." Cross coumry coach Steve Guymon said each of the runners played a different role in the ove rall team makeup. "Julius is a more vocal leader," Guymon said. "He keeps everyone posi– tive. James is friendly and always smiling and Savita is like a linle mom. Yam fotCunare to have each of them no t only because of their talent but they each" have a wonderful personality and comribute so much to this program. -Brian Hall Junior Julius Kosgei checks his time as he and sophomore James Cheruiyot finish their race Sept. 9 at the Ted Lloyd Stampede. Kosgei achieved his first career win with a time of 20:24.68 and Cheruiyot finished second with a time of 20:24.88 in the four-mile race. -Chelsea Roberson As an onlooker cheers him on, seniorArtur Kem finishes theTed lloyd Stampede on Sept. 9. The Bisons placed first of three overall for the race. -Chelsea Roberson _1O.L76 athletics
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