Gold medallist Kenya's Joyce Chepkirui (C) on the podium with silver
medallist Florence Kiplagat (L) and bronze medallist Emily Chebet (R)
during the award ceremony for the women's 10,000m athletics event at
Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland on
July 29, 2014. AFP | ADRIAN DENNIS
By Odindo Ayieko
In Summary
Athletics Kenya Vice President has always said Kenyan women were on the right track.
As the 2014 Commonwealth games come to a close,
Kenyan women athletes proved they no longer live under the shadows of
their male counterparts in international assignments. While in the past
men brought home most medals and the women struggled, the reverse is
happening of late.
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The failure by David Rudisha to win gold in the 800 metres
men and the disappointing performance by men in marathon cement the
changing fortunes. While men failed to win the marathon, the women made a
1-2 finish. The women also finished 1-2-3 in both the 10,000m and the
3,000m steeplechase.
“It is a performance that makes us feel proud as
women,” said Tegla Lorupe, a former marathon record-holder. “In the past
we struggled, but the performance of the women in the last World
Athletics Championships and now in the Commonwealth is encouraging,” she
added.
Indeed, Kenyan women outperformed their male
counterparts at the 2013 World Championships, winning three gold medals,
with the other medals coming from Edna Kiplagat who retained the
marathon world title she had won in 2011 and Milcah Chemos in the 3,000m
steeplechase.
In the Commonwealth in Glasgow too, the women are
outshining the men. Joyce Chepkirui, Florence Kiplagat and Emily Chebet
made a clean sweep of the women’s 10,000m medals.
In the women 3,000m steeplechase final, Purity
Kirui, Milcah Chemos and Joan Kipkemoi made a repeat of what their
10,000m counterparts did. There were also victories for Kenyan women in
the 1,500 metres won by Faith Chepng’etich while Eunice Sum carried the
800m gold medal while Mercy Cherono won gold and Janet Kisa won gold and
silver in the 5,000 metres.
Athletics Kenya Vice President has always said Kenyan women were on the right track.
Greater future
“I am proud of our women athletes. There is an even greater future for the women,” said Okeyo.
Susan Sirma was the first Kenyan woman to win an
Olympic medal when she won a bronze in the 1500m 1988. But the
improvement by women has been systematic; they won marathon races across
the world at the beginning of the new millennium.
Lorupe set the world record in the women’s marathon
and also set a record in the 20, 25 and 30km distances. Catherine
Ndereba won the Boston marathon in 2000 and went on to win two gold
medals at the world championships of 2005 and 2007 and a silver medal at
the 2008 Olympics.
In the 2008 Olympics, Kenyan women started to
perform just as well as the men. Pamela Jelimo set the world of
athletics alight by running incredibly fast in the 800m, giving her gold
at the 2008 Olympics. Janeth Jepkosgei was second. Nancy Lagat shocked
everyone to win the women’s 1,500m at those same Olympics.
In the 2011 World championships, Kenyan women
runners had a spectacular show. They occupied the top four positions in
the marathon and the 10,000m and the top two positions in the 5,000m.
The most notable performance was that of Vivian
Cheruiyot who won both the 5,000m and the 10,000m. She should have won
the World Athlete of the Year crown in 2011 but luck was not on her
side.
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