Agnes Jebet reminisces racing against childhood hero Faith Kipyegon
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 25.02.25. | 17:38
Jebet eventually won the race in 32:42 as Kipyegon dropped out in the final lap
For Agnes Jebet, the 2025 Sirikwa Classic was more than just another race. It was the realization of a childhood dream.
The reigning World 10km record holder found herself toeing the line alongside her idol, triple Olympic 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon. This was a moment she had never imagined possible.
That moment was a reflection of how far she has come and how much she has achieved as an athlete. Even without winning the race, simply competing against Kipyegon was a dream come true.
Jebet’s journey to this moment has been anything but easy. When she watched Kipyegon win gold during the 2016 Rio Olympics, she was just a schoolgirl struggling with the harsh realities of life.
Her father, a secondary school chemistry and mathematics teacher, had passed away from cancer, leaving her family in turmoil.
With her mother drowning in despair and turning to alcohol, Jebet took it upon herself to support her younger siblings. She brewed and sold chang’aa (moonshine) and burned and sold charcoal to ensure there was food on the table.
"It was my first time racing against Faith Kipyegon, and she is a queen, so I respect her. She is a mentor; she is like my mother, and I was overjoyed. I was very young when I watched her run, but I am so glad and honoured.
I was in Grade Seven when she won the Rio Olympics, and since then, she has been my role model. I never knew that one day I would race against her in such a senior race," the excited Jebet said.
Her resilience eventually led her to professional running, and in 2024, she broke the 10km world record. On Sunday 14 January, on the streets of Valencia, she made history by becoming the first woman ever to run a 10km in under 29 minutes.
The World Cross-Country bronze medalist shed 28 seconds from the previous world record to register an incredible time of 28:46.
Heading into the Sirikwa Classic, Jebet was determined to improve on her 2022 performance when she finished 17th in the race, then known as the Agnes Tirop Memorial.
Kipyegon, on the other hand, was looking to reclaim the title she won in the 2023 edition.
"When we lined up with her at the start, I was under a lot of pressure. I am a world record holder, and she is a world champion, but in my mind, I knew that I would run my best race, and she would run her best. I did not know her plans, and she did not know mine," Jebet revealed.
After breaking the 10km world record last year, she hoped to represent the country during the Olympics. She came fourth in the trials and missed out on the Olympics due to an injury. Now setting her sights on the track and field circuit, Jebet is optimistic about what 2024 holds.
"I hope this year will be a great one. Last season disappointed me, but I ended it with good results. I thank God that I am back stronger," she said.
Jebet eventually won the race in 32:42 as Kipyegon dropped out in the final lap. She is among the few Kenyan athletes who will grace the Grand Slam Track set to kick off in April.
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