‘She remembers the first time. Sixteen years old, Thomas is shouting encouragement. The metallic taste surprised her. “It’s nothing,” Thomas had said, wiping his own mouth. “The altitude gifts us blood. It’s the price. Keep running.”’
This excerpt from The Runner’s Gift by Ken Odak Odumbe is drawn from a story shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2026. From 7,806 entries submitted across 54 Commonwealth countries, Odumbe is the only Kenyan writer on the shortlist, among seven African writers and 25 writers selected globally.
The idea for the submission came from a conversation with a friend in August 2025, who had been impressed by Odumbe’s two self-published novels, Ama and What Was Never Mine. He asked whether Odumbe had ever heard of or participated in the prize, but he had not.
“He advised me to be on the lookout for their next call, which would be out in September. I put it in my diary and prepared myself,” he narrates.
There is a long-held belief in the art world that writers should not create for prizes. The thinking is that when the intention shifts from craft to winning, the work risks losing its natural voice. Others argue that studying selection criteria can shape work to fit expectations rather than the writer’s authentic expression.
Odumbe, however, took a different approach. He used his experience as a researcher to examine the prize’s selection criteria and winning works from 2012 to 2025 before writing his entry.
“I read and analysed the works and studied the commentaries of each year’s judging panel to understand what themes resonated with them and what they valued in the craft,” he recalls.
He says the exercise was less about tailoring his work and more about understanding the literary tradition he was entering, and the standards of excellence it demands.
Although he researched extensively and wrote multiple drafts over nearly two months, he later forgot about the submission until March 4 this year, when he received an email confirming his shortlist, news that came as a surprise given it was his first application and his limited published fiction.
As a development and humanitarian expert, Odumbe has spent nearly two decades writing non-fiction on social issues. He has only recently turned to creative writing, using it to explore complex development themes through poetry, short stories, articles, and two novels.
“I consider myself an upcoming writer, clearly not much to show, except for a long-standing gift of writing and creative mind which I have always had,” he says.
The Runner’s Gift is a tribute to long-distance athletes and is inspired by their role in shaping national identity and pride.
It follows Mercy Chepkemoi, a gifted runner navigating a world shaped by coaches, institutional failure, media attention, and heavy expectations.
Odumbe notes that behind records, medals, and global admiration lie often-unseen realities, including physical strain, exploitation, financial pressure, mental health struggles, institutional gaps, and the role of international systems.
He argues that global sports narratives often reduce Kenyan athletes to genetics, overlooking the broader human and structural context in which they operate.
“The Runner’s Gift was inspired by the extraordinary resilience of field and track athletes and the global extractive systems, historical and contemporary, with limited support provided,” he says.
Odumbe is currently developing several manuscripts at different stages, spanning fiction, memoir, and climate-focused storytelling.
“I look at what happens in society and create fictional works,” he says.
He adds that the Prize has opened new opportunities and learning experiences in writing for a global audience. It has also reinforced the value of his craft and encouraged him to share his work more widely.
“The Prize has helped define my literary journey and validated my skill and the time I have put into refining my craft. I am also looking at various writing initiatives to submit my stories to,” he says.