지난 11월 3일
뉴욕 마라톤 여자부 우승자 프리스카 제프투 (케냐) 는 안식일교인이다.
뉴욕 마라톤은 첫 출전이라 우승은 생각하지 못했으나
24 마일 (총 26.2 마일) 지점에서 에티오피아 선수를 추월하고
2:25:07 로 우승했다.
제프투는 케냐 서부의 남고이 안식일교회에 출석하는데
그 교회에는 역시 세계적 마라톤 선수인 아벨 키루이 (Abel Kirui 세계 선수권 두번 우승, 2012 올림픽 은메달) 도 다니고 있다.
제프투는 카톨릭 교인이었는데
재림교인인 동료 마라톤 선수인 더글라스 체프시로트와 교제하면서
안식일교인이 되었다.
프로 마라토너로서는 어려운 일이지만
안식일에는 달리지 않는다.
때로는 코치가 뭐라 하지만
안식일은 휴식한다고 했다.
제프투는 2012년 런던 올림픽에서
2:23:12 기록으로
1위와 5초 차이로 은메달을 땄었다.
제프투의 남편 더글라스는 자신도 마라토너이지만
아내의 선수활동을 돕기 위해
집에서 다섯살 짜리 아이를 돌보고 있다.
제프투는 아들에게는 마라톤을 시키지 않을 거라고 했다.
'너무 힘들어요... 미국에 와서 공부를 하게 했으면...'
뉴욕 마라톤은
보스턴, 런던, 베를린과 더불어
세계 4대 마라톤중 하나다.
제프투는 런던과 인연이 깊은 것 같다.
자신의 최고 기록 2:20:14 는 런던 마라톤 기록이다.
올해 런던 마라톤에서는 2:20:15 로 우승했다.
우리 안식일교인 마라토너들
아 싸!!!
화이팅 !!!
New York Marathon Winner on Running and Church
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“That was a good achievement for me,” Adventist Kenyan Priscah Jeptoo told Spectrum, after winning the New York Marathon on November 3 with a time of 2:25:07. “I was not expecting to win in New York because it was my first attempt.”
Jeptoo passed Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia, who had the lead for most of the race, at about mile 24.
The 29-year-old marathoner attends the same church in western Kenya, Namgoi Adventist Church, that Abel Kirui, another World Championship marathoner attends, and the two families are close friends.
The church held a big reception for Jeptoo when she returned home after her win in New York.
Jeptoo’s husband, Douglas Chepsirot, who is also a runner, was the one who initially brought her to the Adventist church. The couple met at a training camp for runners, then got married and had a son. Jeptoo had been Catholic, but she liked the Namgoi church and decided to become an Adventist like her husband.
“It’s a really nice church for me,” Jeptoo says. “I like that church because it really touched me. It changed my life. I believe I will stay there the rest of my life.
“There were things I didn’t know. Now I put my trust in Christ and trust in God my Savior for everything.”
Jeptoo says it can be a challenge to be a professional runner and keep the Sabbath. “To run on Saturdays is not good because that is the day I am supposed to rest and worship my God,” she says. “I don’t feel good when I run on Saturdays. Sometimes it can be difficult, and maybe your manager tells you to go. But it is not good for us as Adventists.”
Chepsirot stays behind to take care of their home and five-year-old son, Faustin, when Jeptoo is traveling for a race or training. His running career has been put on hold so that Jeptoo can pursue hers.
Jeptoo says that she wouldn’t choose running as a career for their son. “Running is too hard,” she says. “I want him to continue with his studies, and go to America to study.”
But her eyes are still very focused on her own running career. Her goal for next year is to run a marathon in 2:18. Her personal best is 2:20:14, which she ran at the 2012 London Marathon, where she took third place. She won the London Marathon this year with at time of 2:20:15. “I hope next year to improve my time in London,” Jeptoo says.
Jeptoo won a silver medal in the last Olympic marathon.
Jeptoo’s advice for anyone who wants to run a marathon, but has never run one before: “Train really hard and seriously. Everything is possible in God.”