Iten
| Iten | |
|---|---|
| Motto: Home of Champions | |
 Iten
|
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| Coordinates: 0°40′23″N 35°30′30″E / 0.67306°N 35.50833°ECoordinates: 0°40′23″N 35°30′30″E / 0.67306°N 35.50833°E | |
| Country |
 Kenya
|
| County | Elgeyo-Marakwet County |
| Elevation | 2,400 m (7,900 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 42,312 |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
| Climate | Cfb |
Iten is a town in Elgeyo-Marakwet County in the republic of Kenya. Iten serves the as the capital and largest town of Elgeyo-Marakwet County.The town is located along the road between Eldoret and Kabarnet at the junction of the road heading to Kapsowar. Elgeyo escarpment and Kerio River are located east of Iten. The town has a population of 42,312 [2].
It forms a common local authority (Iten/Tambach town council) with Tambach, a small town in the vicinity. Iten was the headquarters of the former Elgeyo-Marakwet District since 1966, when it replaced Tambach.
The name of the town is a corruption of Hill Ten, a local rock formation named by Joseph Thomson in 1883. The hill is located 800 meters outside the village, on the road toward Kessup. It can be best viewed from the Iten Viewpoint.
The mayor of Iten is Mary Ruto (as of 2009), one of the few female mayors in Kenya. The mayor of Iten from 2020 is going to be Esau Kandie. He is also widely believed to be the next gorvenor of Elgeiyo-Marakwet County.
The name is a local corruption of Hill Ten, a local rock formation that was named by Joseph Thompson in 1883.
He inscribed the words Hill Ten on a rock while exploring the Kerio Valley to mark the number of hills he had conquered.
The hill is located about 800 metres outside the main town, on the road toward Kessup.
St. Patrick's High School is located in Iten. The school has, over the last 30 years, produced world-class long distance athletes. Alumni include Ibrahim Hussein, winner of three Boston Marathons and one New York City Marathon; Peter Rono, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist at 1,500 meters; Wilson Boit Kipketer, a 1997 world champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase; Matthew Birir, 1992 Olympic gold medalist at the 3,000-meter steeplechase; and David Rudisha, 2012 Olympic gold medalist and world record holder at 800m. The coach of these athletes, Brother Colm O'Connell of Ireland, came to Iten in 1976 expecting to stay just three months. He has lived in Iten ever since.
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Wikipedia