Nicholas Kiprkirui is the current Gor Mahia centre-forward having being hunted by the Gor tactician Hassan Oktay from the flower planters of Kericho while playing for Zoo after a flourishing season where he scored a total of 13 goals for the side.
The young Kenyan from the Rift joined the current Kenya PremierLeague leaders Gor Mahia on October 26, 2018, and has his contract with the green army until 30th June 2022 which is subject to an extension unless his impeccable form gets recognised from abroad.
One of the many things that makes the young man stand out from the crowd is that he is from a tribe that has very little association with football but rather endowed with athletics which raises many eyebrows and questions than answers with his football prowess in a club that is majorly flogged with Luo people.
"Headmaster" Nicholas Kipkirui scored the only goal yesterday as @OfficialGMFC defeated @TuskerFC_club to register their 9th win of the season. pic.twitter.com/7pvjW3NWdD
— KPL (@TheOfficialKPL) February 28, 2019
The twenty-two years old who is turning twenty-three at the end of the month was on the score sheet when Gor Mahia skinned their longtime bitter rivals AFC Leopards scoring a brace in the 23rd and 63rd minutes.
He also recorded a goal against the team in their first leg match that was on 8th February this year where the green army where Gor won 2-0. Their win over the weekend brings to 8 the number of wins GorMahia has had against Ingwe since 2016.
But Kipkirui is not alone in the majorly Luo thronged and associated club, as a matter of fact, the Captain, Harun Shakava is a man from the Western- Luhyaland and one of the best midfielders and free kick takers that Kenya has Francis Kahata is a man from the Central making his Kalenjin addition, a proper handshake mix appreciation in the green army.
One of Kipkirui’s breakthrough moments came up when he put his name into the history of Gor Mahia after he scored a goal against Egyptian giants Zamalek in February announcing his presence in the football and in an international stage.
But the young forward is not the first Kalenjin to shine on the big stage, he has had predecessors before him. Kalenjins do not have their gene on athletics and other track events alone they are printing their mark on other disciplines as well.
Nicholas Kipkirui and Boniface Omondi scored to give @OfficialGMFC a 2-0 win over @chemelil_fc. pic.twitter.com/9kPKZkvaBY
— KPL (@TheOfficialKPL) January 2, 2019
The pioneer footballer in the community was one Jimmy Rero who played for Nakuru All Stars in the 1960s at the back with his son Tom Rero becoming a regular player with KCC Eldoret FC who reached his heights in 1998 after he was voted KFF Player of the Year.