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Once a rising steeplechase star Celliphine Chespol battled injuries and management issues fading from the athletics spotlight.
Former World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Celliphine Chespol once stood on the cusp of greatness poised to dominate the world of athletics for years to come.
At just 18 years old, she clocked a staggering 8:58.57 at the 2017 Prefontaine Classic Diamond League, setting the second-fastest time in history for the women’s 3,000m steeplechase and that was after stopping mid-race to adjust her shoe.
But despite her early success, Chespol's story has not been one of unbroken triumph. Injuries, management disputes, and personal setbacks have slowly pulled her from the spotlight, leaving fans and pundits alike asking: what happened to Celliphine Chespol?
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Chespol's rise was meteoric. She made a name for herself as a fierce competitor with a bright future ahead. In 2018, she clinched gold at the World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, further cementing her status as one of the brightest stars in steeplechase.
At the time, it seemed like nothing could stop her. But by the time the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, USA, rolled around, the cracks in her journey were already beginning to show.
During the 2022 World Championships, Chespol battled through the final with a painful knee injury. Despite her fierce determination, she finished 13th, far from the podium where many expected her to be.
“It was tough,” Chespol said in a past interview with Standard.
“I felt pain after the heats, and the situation was worsened because we didn’t have a physiotherapist to attend to me.”
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Her injuries did not just affect her performance at the World Championships. Chespol was also forced to pull out of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham due to the ongoing pain. It was a devastating blow for an athlete who had been on such a rapid upward trajectory, and it marked the beginning of a challenging period in her career.
Chespol’s struggles did not start in 2022, though. In 2021, she had to sit out the national trials for the Tokyo Olympic Games after suffering yet another injury.
While she made her return at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi later that year, she was not in the shape she needed to be to compete on the world stage.
“It was tough to handle the fact that I wasn’t able to compete at the national trials. I had an injury and was still recovering from it. I was not in the right shape for the Olympics. I am thankful to God for my recovery. It has been tough," she said as per Nation.
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Beyond the physical challenges, Chespol has also had to navigate legal and contractual disputes with her management, which have taken a toll on her career.
In 2018, she publicly accused her former management agency, Golazo, of refusing to release her despite the expiration of her two-year contract.
She alleged that Golazo had informed the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) of her whereabouts incorrectly, resulting in two missed doping tests—one more missed test could have led to a two-year ban.
In a Facebook post, Chespol revealed that Golazo agents had mistreated her once they realized she was not interested in renewing her contract. She claimed they pressured her into signing another agreement, but she refused.
“After they tried to force me into another contract, I refused since their management wasn’t paying me in full,” she said.
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The dispute intensified when both her new management under Owen Andersen and Golazo’s agent, Mark Corstjens, claimed her as their athlete, making it impossible for Chespol to compete in the Diamond League events in Doha and Shanghai.
The conflict took a severe toll on her mental and emotional state. Speaking out, Chespol said that the ordeal had put her at risk of missing important competitions, thus stalling her career.
Athletics Kenya (AK) intervened in the case, but the damage had already been done. The young athlete who had once captivated the world with her raw talent and tenacity now found herself sidelined and entangled in off-track issues that distracted her from her primary goal—running.
At just 25, Chespol’s story is far from over, but the question remains: will she ever return to the form that once made her a global sensation?
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