Uasin Gishu County
Highland farm town became running capital—altitude training produced Kipchoge and built downtown Eldoret. By 2026: athletic wealth diversifies or remains concentrated.
Eldoret exists because altitude exists. At 2,100 meters, the cool highland plateau attracted Afrikaner settlers fleeing British rule in South Africa after 1905. They named it "Eldoret" possibly from Maasai "eldore" (stony river), establishing wheat and dairy farms on soils ideal for temperate agriculture. That European farming heritage persisted through independence, making Uasin Gishu Kenya's breadbasket alongside neighboring Trans-Nzoia.
The same altitude that grew wheat produced something more valuable: world-class distance runners. The physiological advantages of high-altitude training, combined with cultural traditions of running and a concentration of coaching knowledge, created a self-reinforcing excellence cluster. Kipchoge Keino blazed the trail in the 1960s; Eliud Kipchoge perfected it by running the first sub-two-hour marathon. Athletes now own at least 20 commercial buildings in Eldoret's CBD—running literally built this city.
Eldoret gained city status in August 2024, Kenya's fifth after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru. The county's Gross County Product grew from KSh 223.8 billion in 2019 to KSh 349.2 billion in 2024, with licensed businesses increasing 53% to 23,426. Agriculture, agro-processing, and increasingly manufacturing drive growth, while sports tourism capitalizes on the running heritage.
The county exhibits classic positive feedback dynamics: athletic success generates wealth, wealth invests in training facilities, facilities attract more athletes, success compounds. By 2026, Eldoret faces the challenge of translating athletic fame into broader economic diversification—or remaining the "City of Champions" that depends on a single extraordinary export.