Remarkable sporting achievements of police who went viral during Saba Saba
Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 13.07.26. | 13:25
Rakamba initially specialized in the discus after fully embracing the event in 2013 before successfully expanding into the hammer throw later in her career
Images of police officer Roselyn Rakamba quickly spread across social media during the Saba Saba demonstrations on Tuesday, 7 July, with many Kenyans taking notice of her distinctive dreadlocks and imposing athletic physique.
While much of the online discussion focused on her appearance, Rakamba is one of Kenya's most accomplished field athletes, having built an impressive career in the discus and hammer throw while serving in the Kenya Police Service.
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She represents the Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU) and has consistently dominated the National Police Service Athletics Championships, winning multiple individual titles in both the women's discus and hammer throw.
Her athletics journey dates back to 2011, when she announced herself on the national stage during a meeting in Mombasa.
Then aged 21, she claimed victory with a 41-metre discus throw, attracting the attention of experienced coaches who recognized her potential in the throwing events.
Rakamba initially specialized in the discus after fully embracing the event in 2013 before successfully expanding into the hammer throw later in her career.
The transition proved highly successful as she rose to become Kenya's leading athlete in both disciplines.
One of the defining moments of her career came in March 2023 when she won Kenya's first-ever gold medal in the women's discus event at the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) Games in Rwanda.
Her rise has also seen her rewrite the national record books.
At the 2026 Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, Rakamba produced a throw of 50.90 meters in the hammer throw.
Although the distance earned her eighth place in a highly competitive field, it surpassed the previous Kenyan women's national record, making her the country's official record holder in the event.
Rakamba had secured qualification for the continental championships after recording a personal best of 57.08 meters earlier in the season, ensuring her place in Team Kenya's squad for the championships.
A year earlier, she competed at the 2024 Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, where she threw 46.50 meters in the women's discus to finish 10th against some of the continent's strongest throwers from Nigeria and South Africa.
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Her ambitions have also extended to the Commonwealth Games.
During the qualification campaign for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Rakamba achieved the official qualifying standard in the hammer throw during Athletics Kenya meetings at Nyayo National Stadium.
She remained in contention for another Commonwealth Games appearance this year after competing at the Athletics Kenya trials held at Nyayo National Stadium from June 18 to 20.
Representing the Kenya Police Service, Rakamba finished third in the women's hammer throw with a mark of 52.36 meters as she battled for a place in Kenya's squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.