DILI (Reuters) – What are the chances of turning up in a country penniless, without a visa, and then staying at the president's house and going on to win a marathon?
That's what happened to Kenyan Philimon Rotich when he turned up in the tiny Southeast Asian country East Timor.
Rotich, 33, landed last Friday in dusty Dili airport with no money to pay for the $40 visa or for accommodation, when he spotted President Jose Ramos-Horta in the airport.
"It's God's plan because even in my country I never greeted the president. So I was so happy to meet the president and greet him. He also decided to tell me to (come) to his home," Rotich told Reuters in broken English on Monday.
Rotich, who learned about the East Timor half-marathon competition from the Internet, won the 21-km (13-mile) race on Sunday and received a gold medal and a $5,000 prize.
"It was hot and I am also afraid of dogs on the road," he said.
Rotich said he didn't train intensively for the competition but described his victory as "a fantastic moment."
One of world's youngest countries, East Timor is struggling with poverty and unemployment and is aiming to attract more tourists with sport events, diving and its beaches.
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