“Super Women”: Celebrating 5 Kenyan Exceptional Women Taking Sports World By Storm
The world celebrates International Women’s Day which is celebrated on the 8th of March every year. Mideyah Digital joins the celebration by looking at Kenyan women who are taking the sports world by storm in the country with the outstanding work they are putting in.
Although necessary measures have not been laid down to recruit more talents in women in sports and also the wellbeing of the existing sports personalities, there are women who have defied all odds and become the best in their fields. From old to young from pitches to tracks they shown persistence and endurance to make it to the top.
In this article, Mideyah digital looks at 5 Kenyan women who have taken over the world of sports by showing nothing is impossible.
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1. Faith Kipyegon
The 30-year-old she is a short and long marathon runner having achieved several accolades at her age. She has proven to the world that nothing is impossible, Kipyegon got pregnant to her firstborn daughter Alyn in 2018 where she had to quit running career and focus on the motherhood. Despite staying away from athletics for a while, since making her comeback to athletics she has won several races where she is the current world record holder for the 1500m and one mile both set in 2023, and the former world record holder for the 5000m before it was broken a weeks later by Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay.
2. Sharon Chepchumba
She is the opposite attacker for Kenya women’s volleyball team commonly known as Malkia Strikers. She has been outside the field for almost three months after suffering a knee injury. Chepchumba who is commonly referred as ‘Chumba’ has been a key player to the Malkia Strikers success in women’s volleyball competitions.
She was a key player in the Malkia Strikers squad that sealed their place at the Paris 2024 Olympics games after winning the African title in Cameroon last year. She was named the Player of the Tournament an award that earned her a 6-month deal with Greek third-tier side Aris Thessaloniki from Kenyan side KCB. For her good work she is doing, she makes to our list of our exceptional women in sports.
3. Beldine Odemba
Beldine Odemba she is the current Harambee Starlets head coach. She took over the role in September 2023 from Godfrey Oduor ‘Solo’ who stepped down barely 6 months after his appointment as head coach. Odemba gained people’s attention when he led Highway Secondary School to 2022 East Africa Secondary games where he made into Finals. She also manages the Kenya Wowen Premier Leaue side Police FC thus making into our list of exceptional women in world of sports.
READ ALSO: 5 Top Female Sports Journalists In Kenya
4. Angela Okutoyi
Kenya’s sensational long tennis queen Angela Okutoyi, she is among the Kenyan Women in sports whom you can’t turn a blind eye on her because of her exceptional work she is doing in the event. Despite her young age she is doing exceptional work, at only 20 years Okutoyi has a name in the Tennis world where she has competed with heavyweights in the profession.
She became the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title at the girls’ juniors Wimbledon event partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp. Okutoyi became the first representative of Kenya to win a girls’ junior singles Grand Slam match at the 2022 Australian Open.
She has also won two singles and three doubles titles at ITFs Women’s Circuit. She has a win/loss record of 11-5 when playing for Kenya Billie Jean King Cup team. She recently relocated to USA through sponsorship to further her studies as well as develop her Tennis career.
5. Grace Adhiambo
She started her rugby career back in Primary school where she used to play football before switching to rugby. Grace Adhiambo she first appeared for Kenya Lioness rugby team at the age of 17 years back in 2016 where has risen up to become the Kenya Lionesses team captain. She also made her Lionesses 15s debut in 2021 Rugby World Cup qualifying match against Colombia in Nairobi. Adhiambo scored 5 points from a conversion, and a penalty where the Lionesses lost the match.
Grace Adhiambo was signed by the Japanese club Nagato Blue Angels on a 6-month contract at the beginning of last year.
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