Kenya has been known to produce some of the best athletes ever, with our athletes showing sterling performances and bringing home lots of gold medals, Kenya is undoubtedly the best athletic country.
We have had many runners represent us in the international arena but there are those who we can’t help but remember their prowess in the track.
Here are some of Kenya’s best runners ever.
1.Kipchoge Hezekiah Keino
Kipchoge is a retired Kenyan track and field athlete. He is currently chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee (KOC). A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Keino was among the first in a long line of successful middle and long distance runners to come from the country and has helped and inspired many of his fellow countrymen and women to become the athletics force that they are today. Kipchoge even has a stadium named after him, Kipchoge Keino stadium.
2.Paul Tergat
Paul Kibii Tergat is a former professional long distance runner. He held the world record in the marathon from 2003 to 2007, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time.
3.Lornah Kiplagat
Lornah Kiplagat is a long-distance runner. She was born in Kabiemit, Rift Valley Province, Kenya and went to the Netherlands in 1999. She gained Dutch citizenship in 2003 and has competed for the Netherlands since.She runs not only road events but also in cross country and track and field.
4.David Rudisha
David Lekuta Rudisha, MBS is a Kenyan middle-distance runner. He is the 2012 and 2016 Olympic champion, World champion and world record holder in the 800 metres. Rudisha is the first and only person to ever run under 1:41 for the event, and he holds the three fastest, six of the eight fastest, and half of the twenty fastest times ever run in this event.Rudisha has won a record 3 consecutive Track & Field Athlete of the Year awards,and also won the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2010. Rudisha recently pulled out of the championship race and is not going to defend his title.
5.Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Nyambura is a former marathon runner.She has twice won the marathon at the World Championships in Athletics and won silver medals at the Summer Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008. She is also a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon. Ndereba broke the women’s marathon world record in 2001, running 2:18:47 at the Chicago Marathon.
6.Pamela Jelimo
Pamela Jelimo is a Kenyan middle-distance runner, specialising in the 800 metres. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing at the age of 18. She is the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal and also the first Kenyan to win the Golden League Jackpot of ksh60million. She is one of the youngest women to win an Olympic gold medal for Kenya.
7.Ezekiel Kemboi
Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi is the winner of the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2009 World Championships, 2011 World Championships, 2012 Summer Olympics, 2013 World Championships and the 2015 World Championships. His 3000 m steeplechase best of 7:55.76 set at Monaco in 2011 places him as the sixth fastest of all time.This time is also the fastest non-winning time in history. He is one of only three men to have won both Olympic and World golds in the event.He is the only athlete to win four (successive) world championships in the steeplechase.
Ezekiel is also known for his signature jig after winning a race.
8Aspel Kiprop
Asbel Kiprop is a former middle-distance runner, who specialised in the 1500 metres. Kiprop was awarded the 1500 m gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics after the original winner, Rashid Ramzi, tested positive for doping. Kiprop has won three World Championship titles in the event, in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
9.Brimin Kipruto
Brimin Kipruto is a Kenyan middle distance runner who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.He holds a personal best of 7:53.64 minutes which is the second fastest time ever run, and the African Record.His personal best is only .01 of a second behind the world record of former county mate Saif Saaeed Shaheen, who switched national affiliation to Qatar after growing up as Stephen Cherono in the Keiyo District.
10.Vivian Cheruiyot
Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot is a long-distance runner who specialises in track and cross country running, olympic champion in 5000 metres event. She won silver medal at the 10000 m and gold medal at the 5000 m at the 2016 Olympics, setting the new Olympic record in 5000 m event. Cheruiyot won a silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 2007 World Championships and became the world champion in the event at the 2009 edition, repeating this achievement at the 2011 World Championships, where she doubled up by winning the 10000 m.
Other legendary runners are
Nancy Langat
Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet
Eunice Jepkorir
Hilda Kibet
Joyce Chepchumba
Julius Kariuki
Among many other
