Kenyan world record setting siblings bemoan wasted talent

Two Kenyan brothers, who set world records in ball juggling, have bemoaned lack of interest among Kenyans in tapping their talent to catapult them to loftier heights. Kenneth Yoga, 38, and his younger brother Willis Yoga set new world marks on Nov. 28, 2008 that saw their names entered into the Guinness Book of World Records after they were ratified. Kenneth ran away with the world record by juggling a ball on a moving motorbike uninterrupted for 25 minutes 53 seconds, covering a distance of 7.595 kilometers in the process. The average speed was calculated at 3.361km/h. The previous record was held by an unnamed individual who barely covered a kilometer. Willis, then aged 23, achieved the feat of heading a ball for four hours 30 minutes in a seated position during which he registered 41,900 bounces. The preceding record was held by one Achim Agushi of Kosovo whose mark was four hours two minutes and one second. Kenneth decried the trend in the country where it is common to give struggling talent a wide berth and generate interest only when people make it big. "Talent should be appreciated and nurtured as it unfolds. We are however happy to be world record holders despite not registering on anyone's radar locally," said Kenneth. The siblings are sons of the late former Kenyan football sensation George Best Yoga, who played for Kenyan national team, Harambee Stars and reigning local champions Gor Mahia between 1974 and 1984. The Yoga brothers, who are without a job, had been on a 17-year training program with only one objective, finding room for their names in the coveted book. Before achieving their dreams, pundits considered the feat as unfeasible, apparently due to Kenya's relative inferiority in the world of football where they squat at the near bottom of FIFA rankings. Previously, world records were a preserve of Kenyan track legends like Henry Rono, John Ngugi, Noah Ngeny, Julius Kariuki, Moses Kiptanui, Paul Tergat and Tegla Loroupe, just to mention but a few, who have all registered their names in the Guinness Book of World Records. The brothers began their exploits en-route to history on a sunny morning at Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi in the presence of three FIFA referees, David Wakuzi, Thomas Onyango and Crispin Oduor were all resplendent in full uniform to ensure that every regulation was followed and to authenticate the event as the brothers battled to get a Guinness status in ball juggling. Phineas Kimathi, Kenyan motor rally ace who sponsored the event through his hospitality outlet says he answered the Yoga brothers call when they expressed their desire to attempt their respective undertakings. "I did not think twice, but immediately developed a plan-of-action to assist them achieve what their hearts desired. I took over the duty of finding for them a training venue and catering for their meals and milk and other related costs for one month as they prepared for their world record breaking attempts," said Kimathi. He says there are many ways that the talent of the Yoga brothers can be put to good use by Kenyans, pointing out that their ball-juggling antics can be incorporated in programs during public events to spice up occasions as well as to break monotony in entertainment. "I do not know who to blame, but these young men should be assisted in any way to take them to loftier heights. In other countries they would be national assets to the state and I don't want to imagine what their bank accounts would look like."