Kenya is a land acclaimed by numerous sportsmen who rule racing both locally and internationally, with a plethora of creative hobbies to pursue in spare time.

Sports and hobbies in Kenya are ingrained in the country’s culture and are used to promote highly social lifestyles and the collectivist nature of the population. By investing in sports as a culture (shown by the number of gold medals it has won), Kenya has also cemented its reputation as the home of sporting champions. The Kenyan national anthem is a frequent tune at international sporting events, as athletes are praised for their sporting achievements.

Notable Kenyan athletes

Kenya has fostered true sporting talent including athletes with national and international status who have won numerous gold, silver and bronze medals:

• Great marathon runner Catherine Ndereba

• Distance runner Paul Tergat

• Long distance runner Tegla Loroupe

• Gold medalist Ezekiel Kemboi

• Current 800m Olympic world record holder, David Rudisha

• 800m Olympic gold medalist and Golden League top prize winner Pamela Jelimo

• Olympic gold holder Samwel Wanjiru (deceased)

• Safari Rally Driver Ian Duncan

• Humphrey Kayange of Rugby

Major sports in Kenya

There are a variety of major sports that Kenyans participate in from childhood through the school years to the professional level:

athletics

Kenya is known throughout the world for its achievements in athletics, including short and long distance athletics, road and foot races, cross country and marathons.

Most of the annual marathons held in Kenya are for social causes, including:

• lewa marathon

• Standard Charter Nairobi Marathon

• Safaricom Marathon

• Kass International Marathon

• Kisumu World AIDS Marathon

• Sotokoto Safari Marathon

Kenya Sevens rugby team

In 2012, the Kenya Sevens Team finished fourth in the 2012 IRB World Sevens Series and got off to a strong start in 2013, with a second place finish to England, competing in Wellington Sevens, New Zealand, which is their best performance so far. The Safari Sevens Rugby Tournament and Safaricom Sevens are some of the local rugby events.

Kenyan national football, the stars of Harambee

Previously a force to be reckoned with, the team is currently a shadow of its former self. Internal management conflicts, fan misconduct, and poor player pay have all contributed to the team’s poor performance in national and regional games. However, local sports teams like Gor Mahia and AFC Leopard have a huge fan base and are set to change football in Kenya.

common hobbies

Most Kenyans have individual hobbies based on their interests and where they live. Rural people are laid back, while urban people are more active in their hobbies. There are hobbies common to all ages, genders, social status and regions in Kenya including:

• Attend major events such as festivals, fashion shows, sporting events, political and religious rallies.

• Go to theaters and cinemas

• Read

• Watch home movies and listen to music.

• Watch local radio and television channels.

• Travel and tour

• Karaoke (there is a growing karaoke culture in urban Kenya)

Most young people consider logging into social networks as a hobby, checking their accounts at least three times a day. Since almost all Kenyans have a mobile phone, their free time is spent on mobile messaging, surfing the Internet and socializing through social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.