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Faith Kipyegon may be a big star nowadays, but her journey into becoming a legend was a long and tedious one.
Faith Kipyegon is widely celebrated as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time. But her rise to global stardom was anything but conventional.
From humble beginnings in the rural village of Ndababit in Kenya’s Rift Valley to shattering world records and amassing Olympic titles, her journey epitomizes determination, resilience, and extraordinary talent.
Born as the eighth of nine children, Kipyegon grew up in a large family in the hilly, dusty terrain of Ndababit, about 233 kilometers west of Nairobi.
Her family, members of the Kalenjin tribe, had a history rooted in athletics. Her father, Samuel Kipyegon Koech, was a 400m and 800m runner, and her mother, Linah Koech, also had ties to the sport. Faith’s elder sister, Beatrice Mutai, specialised in the 10km and half-marathon distances, adding to the family’s athletic pedigree.
“I used to run to school at four or five years old, and it was four kilometers away,” Kipyegon recalled during a talk on Engage Talk.
“So I would run to and from alone because my parents could not afford to take me to school. It was often cold, and we did not have shoes, so I would run barefooted – which is normal for young girls in the village. So, it has been a long journey.”
Initially, Kipyegon was a passionate soccer player. However, her path changed when, at age 14, she lined up for a one-kilometer run during a P.E. class and won by a remarkable 20 meters. Encouraged by her natural talent, she shifted her focus to athletics and began attending Winners Girls High School in Keringet.
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05:20 - 06.12.2024
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It wasn’t until she turned 15 that Kipyegon began training seriously under the guidance of coach Charles Ng’eno. Her transition into athletics was anything but smooth.
“When I started living with my sister, I started finding my own ways of making it,” Kipyegon shared. “My then coach Charles Ng’eno discovered me when I was running all sorts of categories, from Omanyala’s 100 meters all the way to 10,000 meters.”
Kipyegon described the challenges of balancing her budding career with the demands of life in her rural home.
“Where my coach used to stay, his house was 10 kilometers away, so I would run from my sister’s to his place, train there, and then run again. It was tedious as I would likely end up running 30 kilometers a day, but he was very supportive. Sometimes, he would even facilitate my journey back using a motorbike,” she explained.
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06:46 - 13.12.2024
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She credits Ng’eno with helping her persevere despite difficult circumstances. “I thank him a lot because even though we had nothing at home, he helped make sure I was comfortable. He’d make calls to shopping centers to ensure I took home bread,” Kipyegon recounted.
At just 16, Kipyegon made her international debut at the 2010 World Cross Country Championships in Poland, competing barefoot. Racing against athletes up to three years older, she finished fourth in the women’s junior race and helped Kenya secure team gold in a stunning 1–4 sweep.
The following year, Kipyegon returned stronger, winning individual gold at the World Cross Country Championships in Spain and leading Kenya to a team silver. Later that year, she claimed the 1500m title at the World Youth Championships in France, breaking the championship record with a time of 4:09.48.
Author and running expert Adharanand Finn highlighted the immense challenges Kenyan athletes often face.
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19:20 - 05.12.2024
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“Most Kenyan runners come from poor, rural families and face difficult conditions until they achieve some success on the international stage,” Finn told Al Jazeera in 2019.
He also noted how Kipyegon’s journey was nearly derailed by adversity: “I remember reading a newspaper story about Faith almost missing the national trials as she had been badly beaten by a teacher at school. Thankfully, she still ran and went on to win the junior world cross country.”
Over the years, Kipyegon’s achievements have solidified her place among the greatest in athletics. She has won three Olympic gold medals in the 1500m, captured four World Championship titles, and claimed five Diamond League trophies in the event.
Notably, she has broken the 1500m world record three times, setting a new standard for excellence in the sport.
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