Janeth Jepkosgei opens up on Wanyonyi's journey to stardom
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 07.11.24. | 08:10
She introduced him to her coach, Claudio Berardelli, marking the start of an intense training regime that would propel him onto the global stage
Legendary Kenyan 800m runner Janeth Jepkosgei recently shared how she came to mentor one of the country’s best 800m athletes, Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Jepkosgei has witnessed Wanyonyi’s meteoric rise which she says brings her immense pride.
‘Eldoret Express’ as she is famously known first met Wanyonyi by chance at Mosoriot Teachers College during a county athletics competition. She was drawn to the event by the sound of cheering, and she went in, curious to see if any of the young athletes she trained had progressed to the county level.
She went in just in time for the men's 800m race. On the grassy track, there was a determined young runner who immediately caught her attention.
"I saw Wanyonyi running on the grass, his body, how determined he was. I told one of the girls to accompany me to know more about him; where he trains, school, coach, etc. He was very free and told me he was in Kosirai Secondary School and trains there," Jepkosgei told Spot On.
Recognizing his potential, she invited Wanyonyi to train at her camp once the school term ended. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, disrupting the competition schedule and forcing schools to close as Wanyonyi was preparing to compete at the regional level.
She was determined not to lose touch and contacted a teacher from Kosirai who linked her to Wanyonyi’s guardian, eventually arranging for the young athlete to join her camp during the lockdown.
Jepkosgei then introduced him to her coach, Claudio Berardelli, marking the start of an intense training regime that would propel him onto the global stage.
One year later, in 2021, Wanyonyi’s career reached a defining moment when he qualified for Kenya’s World Under-20 National Trials. At the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, he delivered a powerful performance, winning gold in the 800m and signaling his emergence as a force in middle-distance running.
Wanyonyi’s journey only gained momentum, culminating in an unforgettable 2024 season. He began the year with victory at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country 2km race, a promising start that set the tone for a historic campaign.
At the Kenyan Olympic trials, he shattered the 1:42 barrier, displaying the form that carried him into the Paris Diamond League, where he clocked an astounding personal best of 1:41.58, making him the then world’s fastest 800m runner of the season.
Then, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Wanyonyi’s years of dedication paid off as he clinched gold in a thrilling final, narrowly defeating Canada’s Marco Arop with a time of 1:41.19. This achievement not only made him the third-fastest man in history over 800m but solidified his status as an Olympic champion.
Following the Olympics, Wanyonyi continued his streak of success, setting a new personal best of 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League meet, edging closer to David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91.
Through his journey, Wanyonyi has not only transformed his own life but also the lives of his family members. Using his earnings, he built a new home for his mother and ensured his younger siblings could pursue education and fulfill dreams he once thought were beyond reach.
For Jepkosgei, Wanyonyi’s accomplishments bring immense pride.
"I am very happy when I see his achievements. What he says is real. I have been at his home, I know their tough life, and I am very happy when I see what he does for his family," she concluded.
