- Wesley Korir won the Boston Marathon in 2012.
- His son Jayden Korir plays in the goalkeeping position.
All over the sporting world, most kids dream of following in their parents’ footsteps.
An excellent example is the reigning 800 metre world record holder David Lekuta Rudisha and Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland.
The duo embraced the sport that their parents thrived in and went on to make a name for themselves.
However, there are a few others like Kenyan basketball player Ariel Okal who go on to feature in entirely different games to those that their parents played.
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Okal’s story is similar to that of former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir’s young son Jayden Korir.
Although nearly everyone in the talented family has ventured and succeeded in road race running, Jayden fell in love with football the first time he came into contact with a ball.
His desire for the beautiful game gave the former Cherangany Member of Parliament (MP) no option but to help him attain his dreams.
“I signed him up for football hoping he will get a chance to train for his running, little did I know that he will be this good and take it to this level. But I am happy for him.
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He loves the game. He has put in so much work to be the best and as a father, I am giving him 100% support and giving him a chance to succeed,” Korir told Sportpesa Blog in an exclusive interview.
The 41-year-old further explained the sacrifices he has had to make to build a strong foundation for the budding shot stopper.
According to Korir, he even had to construct a football field in his own compound to help Jayden chase his dream.
“I have been there for him and looking for opportunities for Jayden everywhere in the world. I had to build him a mini soccer field outside our house for him to train in.
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I have also been taking him to every practice,” divulged the runner, whose younger brother John Korir recently bagged the Chicago Marathon title.
The commitment from the two-time Los Angeles Marathon winner to see his son succeed in football is slowly starting to yield some positive results.
Jayden, who plays in the goalkeeper position, is currently undergoing trials with English Premier League side Newcastle United.
