Kenya is toasting a golden generation of female track stars after they led the nation to second place in the medal table behind the United States at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Female runners won six of the East African nation’s seven gold medals in Tokyo, sweeping top spot on the podium in every event from 800m up to the marathon.
That remarkable run of victories culminated in a stunning upset as Lilian Odira won the 800m on Sunday, shattering her personal best by nearly two seconds as well as a 42-year-old championship record in the process.
What makes the feat even more impressive is that Odira, 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon and marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir are all mothers.
Indeed, Odira, 26, spent several years away from the track to start her family, with two boys now aged four and two, before returning to competition in 2023.
“That just [shows] that even when you are a mother you can still rule the world,” former world 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei told Newsday on the BBC World Service.
“It doesn’t stop you.
“That’s being a role model to the young ones. This is a way of showing also the African girl, with our culture, that you can also challenge even when you have a baby.”
Jepkosgei, who also won an Olympic silver at Beijing 2008, says these performances demonstrate a cultural shift in Kenyan athletics, and within the country itself.
“During our time, when someone gets married or have a baby, the career ends,” she added.
“And sometimes, with our culture, we were losing a lot of talents. But this now shows how far we can [go].
“We can change our societies, we can change our communities, we can change our culture.”
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