Authorities in the Kenyan city of Eldoret have removed statues of three athletes after they were widely ridiculed and described as “embarrassing” and a poorly made “joke”.

The statues were unveiled ahead of Thursday’s ceremony to grant Eldoret city status.

However, local residents and Kenyans on the Internet said they bore little resemblance to the athletes they supposedly represent.

Eldoret is known as the “Home of Champions” as it is located in the centre of the Rift Valley, where most of Kenya’s world-class athletes come from.

The statues were removed overnight before President William Ruto officially declared Eldoret a city.

The city unveiled several works of art this week, including three statues of athletes and other monuments such as a corn cob and a milk fountain.

They were intended to represent the region’s sporting and agricultural heritage and were erected at various strategic roundabouts in the city.

But the works of art immediately attracted widespread criticism and became the object of ridicule rather than the pride they were intended to inspire.

A Kenyan who shared a photo of a statue of an athlete believed to be 1,500m world record holder Faith Kipyegon said the works represented “our collective mediocrity as a country”.

“It is a shame to call it a Faith Kipyegon statue,” said another Kenyan on X.

Another X-user shared an alleged statue of marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, calling it a “joke” and saying, “Whoever did this will not see heaven.”

On Thursday morning, local media published images of an empty pedestal on which one of the statues had stood.

A local reporter told the BBC that county officials removed the three statues – two depicting female athletes and one depicting a male athlete – on Wednesday evening and took them to an unknown location.

Authorities have not specified who they depict, but social media users described one statue as Kipyegon and another as Kipchoge.

However, their portrayal of the athletes was described as “shameless,” “embarrassing,” and “inferior.”

Kenyans have welcomed the removal of the statues online. It is unclear whether and when they will be replaced.

Ahead of the ceremony declaring Eldoret the fifth city of Kenya, President Ruto received athletes who won medals at the 2024 Olympic Games.

They were rewarded with money as part of a government program designed to motivate athletes to perform well.

Kenya was the best-placed African country at the Paris Olympics, finishing 17th in the medal table with four gold medals and a total of eleven medals.

You might also be interested in:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfricaon Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at Subscribe

BBC Africa Podcasts