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Authorities in the Kenyan city of Eldoret have removed the statues of three athletes after they were widely ridiculed and described as “embarrassing” and a poorly done “joke”.<\/p>\n
The statues were unveiled ahead of Thursday’s ceremony giving Eldoret city status.<\/p>\n
However, local residents and Kenyans online said they bore little resemblance to the athletes they allegedly represent.<\/p>\n
Eldoret is known as the “home of champions\u201d, as it is at the centre of the Rift Valley, where most of Kenya\u2019s world-beating athletes come from.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The statues were removed overnight before President William Ruto officially designated Eldoret a city.<\/p>\n
The town this week unveiled several artistic works, including three statues of athletes and other monuments such as a maize cob and a milk fountain.<\/p>\n
They were supposed to represent the area\u2019s sports and agricultural heritage and were erected at various strategic roundabouts in the town.<\/p>\n
But the artworks immediately drew widespread criticism, becoming objects of ridicule rather than the pride they were supposed to elicit.<\/p>\n
A Kenyan who shared a photo<\/a> of a statue of a female athlete suspected to represent 1,500m world-record holder Faith Kipyegon, said the works represented \u201cour collective mediocrity as a country\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a disgrace calling it a Faith Kipyegon statue,\u201d another Kenyan on X<\/a> said. <\/p>\n