While Kenyan athletes are long known to dominate the long distance running scene, Kenyan athletes also have a presence on the world stage for many other Olympic sports.
Kenya enjoyed success in the most recent games, claiming 4 gold medals in total, including Eluid Kipchoge’s second gold medal, gained during his epic marathon performance.
Now we ask, which athletes have achieved success in the past?
1. Bernard Legat
Born in 1974, Bernard Legat is of both American and Kenyan descent. Born in Kenya, Legat started out by representing his home country as a middle- and long-distance runner, however he has since made a move over to the US, where he now represents them on the Olympic front.
To date, Legat has had a hugely successful Olympic career, in which he is an American record holder in the 1500 m and mile run indoors, as well as the 1500 m, 3000 m, and 5000 m outdoors. Legat also holds a record title for 1500m outdoors in Kenya. Statistics even suggest he’s the second fastest runner of all time.
2. Asbel Kiprop
Born in 1989, Asbel Kiprop is a Kenyan athlete, best known for middle distance running. Kiprop has won three world championship titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015. The summer of 2008 however was one of Kiprop’s largest victories when he won a gold medal for 1500 m after the original winner tested positive for doping.
While Kiprop is celebrated as a world class athlete, he tested positive for doping in 2017 and as such, received a 4-year doping ban. The move came as a hit to Kiprops reputation; however, he continues to be a name on the world stage. Another big achievement of his so far has been the 2007 All-Africa Games, where he received the 1500 m gold medal.
3. Catherine Ndereba
Representing the female front, Catherine Ndereba is a world class Olympic athlete who has been described by the Chicago Tribune sportswriter Philip Hersh as the greatest women's marathoner of all time.
Having held multiple winning titles, Ndereba has won numerous silver medals at the Summer Olympics in 2004 and 2008, as well as winning the World Championships in Athletics where she again competed in marathons. What’s more, in 2001, Ndereba broke the women’s marathon world record, completing a marathon in 2:18:47.
A surprising fact about Ndereba is that she was actually recruited into the Kenyan Athletics Programme by the prison services.
4. Eunice Jepkorir
Again, representing women of the world stage, Eunice Jepkorir specialises in long distance running, with an emphasis on steeplechase. With rural roots at heart, Jepjorir comes from a humble, rural background. Jepokrir showed an interest and passion in running from the age of 15, where she had the chance to pursue her interests and make a success out of them.
She has since become an award-winning athlete, having come seventh in the long race at the 2004 World Cross Country Championships. In the 2007 World Championships, Jepkorir won a bronze medal in the 3000 m steeplechase. She also won the 2007 Cursa de Bombers 10K race in Barcelona.
5. Brimin Kipruto
On a track and field front, Brimin Kipruto is another well-known middle-distance runner who specialises in the 3000m steeplechase. Kipruto’s personal best time is 7:53.64 minutes, which is also an African record. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Kipruto was awarded a silver medal at just 19 years old. He later went on to win a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was also crowned as a world champion gold medalist in 2005.
In his youth days, Kipruto finished second for Steeplechase at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Athletics. At the age of 36, Kipruto still trains with the Global Sports group in Kaptagat.
6. Sabrina Simader
Sabrina Simader is an Alpine skier who represented Kenya at the 2016 and 2018 Olympics. Known by her nickname, ‘Kenya’s snow leopard’, Simader is the first female alpine skier to represent Kenya at the Winter Olympics. At just 19 years old, Simader is one of the youngest representatives. She began skiing at the young age of 3 where her stepfather who owned a ski lift would take her out on the slopes.
Simader comments that at the time, she was one of the only black people on the slopes, in which she faced several challenges to get to where she is today. Simader is highly commended for her speed and technique and receives a tremendous amount of support from the Kenyan public.
Overall, Kenya’s athletes are known for their superior running abilities with incredible agility and speed. While some sports are not traditional for Kenya, athletes like Sabrina Simader continue to lead the way, strongly establishing Kenya as a contender on the World Olympic stage.
