Famous 10 Kenyan Women Athletes of All Time
Kenya is known for two things: it is the best place in Africa to go on safari and it is the birthplace of the greatest athletes in history. Now, if you haven’t reserved an African trip adventure in the outdoors yet, you may still take in the enchantment of Kenya by going to yearly sporting events.
Consider the Olympic Games, the World Junior Championships, the Continental Cup, the Commonwealth Games, or even the Olympics. We venture that you won’t be able to miss Kenyan competitors among the elite athletes. What are the accomplishments of the twenty Kenyan athletes, then?
- Brigid Jepscheschir Kosgey
Long-distance runner Brigid Jescheschir Kosgey currently holds the women’s marathon world record. When she didn’t have enough money for school fees and missed her final high school examinations, she became depressed and decided to take up running.
She began her running practice while debating her options and teamed up with Matthew Kosgei, who is currently her husband. After giving birth to her twins later in 2015, Brigid enrolled in the Elgeyo Marakwet-based Kapsait Athletics Training Camp.
Brigid won the 2015 Porto Marathon in a time of 2:47:59, making it her first international competition. Then, in the 2016 Milan Marathon (PB of 2:27:45), the 2016 Lisbon Marathon (PB of 2:24:45), and the 2017 Chicago Marathon (PB of 2:20:22), she would improve. Two years later, in the 2019 Chicago Marathon, Brigid broke her personal best time of 2:18:35 by clocking a world record of 2:14:04.
When competing, Kosgey dons specially designed Nike sneakers. These shoes are supposed to provide Brigid a 60-90 second advantage over other runners, improving running economy by as much as 8%.
Nevertheless, the World Athletics regulations permit these shoes. Furthermore, Ruth Kipngetich, the three-time World Half Marathon record holder, and Eliud Kipchoge, the best marathon runner in history, both wore the same contentious shoes.
2. Pamela Jelimo
When Pamela Jelimo won the 2008 Golden Girl of Athletics title, she was not well-known either domestically or abroad. During her first international events, she won the 2008 AF Golden League $1 million jackpot and became the 2008 Olympic 800m Champion. Pamela was only eighteen.
Pamela had a fantastic debut in athletics, but her performance in that domain was lackluster from 2009 to 2011. The 2009 indoor season was cut short by an Achilles issue. Pamela finished sixth in the 800-meter race at Morocco in May of that year.
She participated at the 2009 World Championships but was unable to get past the semifinals. Furthermore, Pamela was unable to earn a spot in the 2010 African Championships. In the end, she placed last in the Prefontaine Classic of 2011.
In 2012, Pamela made a reappearance in Istanbul, Turkey, at the World Indoor Championship. She won thirteen successive international competitions in that same year. After that, she would stop running and work as a police teacher in Kiganjo, Kenya.
Pamela’s remarkable foray into athletics was matched only by Maria Mutola. The Mozambican great Maria qualified for her first Olympics and won the $1 million Golden League Jackpot in addition to the Olympic 800 meters in 2003.
3. Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei
Kenyan middle-distance runner Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei, also known by her nickname Eldoret Express, specializes in 800 meters. She competed in 400 meters at first, moving to 800 meters only after her specialization was disqualified from the trials.
After multiple failed attempts to qualify and represent Kenya in global championships, Janeth finally made a breakthrough in 2006. She defeated seasoned 800-meter competitor Maria Mutola in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Janeth broke her record twice and won the 800-meter African Championships in the same year. She received the 2006 Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year award in recognition of this.
Janeth became the first middle-distance runner from Kenya to win gold in the 800-meter event in 2007. Her reliable 800-meter performance helped her gain recognition.
Janeth came last in her heat after colliding with Caster Semenya during the 2009 World Championships. She was within 200 meters from the finish line and had led the race. Janeth was granted entry to the semi-finals, where she won a silver medal, despite her protests.
4. Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot
Four times she has won gold at the World Championships, once she has won gold at the Olympics, twice she has won silver at the Olympics, and once she has won bronze. She is further ranked in the Women’s Marathon at number two. She is now the most decorated female athlete in Kenyan history thanks to her accolades.
Known by her nickname “Pocket Rocket,” Vivian was a shrewd thinker who balanced her studies and later family life while selecting and getting ready for international tournaments.
She overcome setbacks, such as her expectation to receive the Female Athlete of the Year Award in Monaco for her global crowns and undefeated records. To her dismay, Vivian received the Female Performance of the Year award, but Sally Pearson was declared the winner.
When Vivian started playing sports in 1996, seasoned coach David Maiyo saw her abilities. Vivian competed in the 1997 World Cross Country Championships national trials that year. Vivian won the trials, but because she was underage, she was dropped. She was in the fourth grade and weighed 38 kg.
5. Hellen Obiri
The IAAF World Relays 4X1500 meters relay world record is held by Hellen Obiri. On May 24, 2014, she set the record in Nassau, Bahamas. Hellen also won a continental title and a new African record in the 3000 meters, which gave her a boost in her long-distance running career.
She credits Olympic gold medallist Noah Ngeny for paving the way for her career. She was persuaded by Ngeny to move up from 800m to 1500m early on.
Hellen has demonstrated her abilities in the half marathon, 1500 meters, and 5000 meters since 2014. She has triumphed over illustrious athletes such as Ethiopian Defar, a four-time women’s 3000m champion, fellow countrywoman Faith Kipyegon, and former 1500m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba.
Hellen Obiri was listed as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Africans in 2017 by the New African magazine. The magazine acknowledges Hellen’s remarkable athletic career as a source of African leadership influence.
6. Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon
Middle-distance runner Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon specializes in 1500 meters. She has won gold twice in the Olympic Games, silver twice in the World Championships, gold once in the World Cross Country Championships, and one gold once in the World Championships.
Since 2014, she has competed in and won every major championship that she has entered. Faith is regarded as the best female 1500-meter athlete in history as a result.
A fellow middle-distance runner and bronze medallist from the 2012 Olympics, Timothy Kitum, was married to Faith. In June 2018, the couple had their first child. Faith returned to competition a year later and won the Palo Alto Prefontaine Classic presented by the Diamond League.
7. Agnes Jebet Tirop
Former long-distance runner Agnes Tirop, who passed away in 2015, gained notoriety as the second-youngest gold medallist in history in the women’s race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
In the African Cross Country Championships, she was already the current champion. Agnes held the world record for women’s only 10 kilometers at the time of her death in October 2021.
When Agnes was discovered fatally stabbed in her house, she was only 25 years old. Ibrahim Rotich, her spouse, is still the key suspect in the killing. When he attempted to escape, his getaway car collided with a truck, leading to his capture a few days later in the seaside city of Mombasa.
8. Catherine Ndereba
Former marathon distance runner Catherine Ndereba is currently employed as Kenya’s assistant commissioner of prison services. During her illustrious career as a marathon runner, she won gold twice in the World Championships, making her the only athlete to accomplish this feat.
She also won two silver medals in the Olympic Games, one silver medal at the World Championships, and a bronze medal at the World Half Marathon Championships.
Ndereba, also known as Catherine the Great, achieved numerous firsts in her career. She was the first African woman to win the marathon at the World Championships, take home the silver medal in the Olympic Games, and win the Boston Marathon four times.
Ndereba won two Sportswoman of the Year awards for Kenya after her athletic career. She started 19 marathons, finished 17 on the podium, and won 18 half marathons. She is still one of the leading competitors in the women’s marathon.
9. Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe runs track and long-distance roads. She also holds the world records in track events for 20,000, 25,000, and 30,000 meters. In Germany, she won the titles in 2000, 2002, and 2003, in that order.
Tegla was raised in a polygamous household; her father was married to four women. Tegla was one of twenty-four children, and she raised her younger siblings and grazed cattle for most of her childhood.
Even so, she would sprint 10 kilometers from her house to and from school. Furthermore, Tegla was able to outrun considerably older children in school sports events. She still received no assistance from her friends, family, or school.
Athletics Kenya disregarded Tegla’s goals as well, citing her diminutive stature. Tegla’s 1988 barefoot victory in a prominent cross-country competition marked a turning point.
Tegla, a female athlete from Kenya, shares numerous firsts with Catherine Ndereba. She held the world record for marathon running from 1998 to 2001, making her the first female athlete from Africa to do so.
Tegla also holds the record as the first female winner of the New York City Marathon. She even took home two victories. Additionally, Tegla served as the Chef de Mission in 2016 and was in charge of setting up the Refugee Team for the Summer Olympics.
Among her other honors is the 2006 United Nations Ambassador of Sport title, which she shared with Roger Federer and Katrina Webb. She also represents UNICEF and the IAAF as an international sports ambassador.
10. Edith Masai
Retired long-distance runner Edith Masai is a legendary cross-country runner from Kenya. She competed for Kenya in road, cross-country, and track events.
She has won three gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships, one bronze medal at the World Championships, one gold medal in the World Athletics Final, and one bronze medal at the World Championships.
Despite being older than thirty-five, Edith is one of the female Kenyan athletes who consistently delivers exceptional results. In the 10,000-meter competition, Edith Masai took home a silver medal from the 2007 All-Africa Games. With a personal best time of 31:31.18, she set a new mark for female athletes over 40.
Conclusion
Marathons and middle- and long-distance races (track and field) are dominated by Kenyan athletes. According to Sports Brief magazine, the wealthiest Kenyan athletes amassed $31.7 million throughout their forty-year tenure. The Kenyan flag will remain in place as long as talented athletes like Judith Jeptum and Hellen Obiri continue to shatter and establish world records.
Famous 10 Kenyan Women Athletes of All Time
