Obiri lauds Ruto’s package for excelling athletes
By Joel Sang, June 30, 2023Kenya’s marathon star Hellen Obiri has lauded President William Ruto for setting up a reward scheme for athletes who excel.
On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, the head of state promised that athletes who perform well will be rewarded with diplomatic passports as well as Ksh5 million, a move that Obiri believes will motivate them.
“It’s a good idea that will motivate athletes to work extra hard,” Obiri told a local media publication.
Obiri career path
The Kisii-born runner is one of the top athletes who has flown the Kenyan flag high in various competitions across the world. She started running while in primary school and continued doing so while in secondary school.
“I became actively involved in athletics, particularly the marathon, during my years in primary and secondary school. It wasn’t easy, given that I had to strike a balance between my passion for sports and my studies,” Obiri added.
She joined the Kenya Defence Forces when she completed her high school education, and it was while serving in the military that she honed her athletic skills.
“I was posted to Laikipia Airbase immediately after graduating,” she narrated.
She started participating in highly competitive games in 2010 and finished in 32nd place at the 2010 Kenya Armed Forces Cross Country Championships. This did not demoralize her, as she continued working hard and finished fifth over the distance in 2011.
“I secured a slot in Team Kenya’s contingent for the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, where I managed a personal best time despite failing to advance to the finals,” Obiri, the 3000m gold winner at the Istanbul 2012 World Indoor Championships, continued.
At the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Obiri won a bronze medal in the 1500m and at the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, she was a silver medalist.
She has been posting one achievement after another and won gold in the 5000m race during the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. In 2018, at the Commonwealth Games, she won gold.
“I won gold at the African Championships both in 2014 and 2018 and also clinched a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics,” she added.
Her major trophies also include the 4 x 1500m gold at the Nassau 2014 IAAF World Relays, the 1500m gold at the Marrakech 2014 African Championships, the 5000m silver at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, and the 5000m gold at the London 2017 World Championships.
“I also won the 5000m gold at the Asaba 2018 African Championships, the 5000m gold at the Doha 2019 World Championships, the 5000m silver at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, the 10,000m silver at the Eugene 2022 World Championships, the half marathon gold at the 2022 Istanbul Half Marathon, and the Boston Marathon 2023,” Obiri, born in 1989, narrated.
Last year, the runner made remarkable achievements and started the year by winning the women’s 10,000m race at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It was at this event that she set a new Games record of 30:38.08.
She went on to compete in the 5000m during the World Athletics Championships, held in Eugene, Oregon, USA, and emerged a winner in 14:23.20, even though Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi and Gudaf Tsegay gave her a run for her money.
Budapest Championship absence
Despite her legendary status, Obiri ruled herself out of the upcoming World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
“I am wishing them all the very best and praying to God to grant them good health. More than 50 million Kenyans will be behind them,” Obiri revealed.
“I will not be running in Budapest in August. I do not have the experience necessary to win a marathon race if I declare to compete because I have only run two marathons.”