How Kenyan queens helped the country stamp its authority in Tokyo

As Kenyan men struggled to make it to the podium at the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships, the country’s women middle and long distance stars oozed class, making an expectant nation proud.

With their beauty and brilliance on the track and road, the queens helped Kenya stamp its authority.

Beatrice Chebet made it a double title for Kenya after storming to gold in 5000m and 10000m, while Faith Kipyegon jetted back to the country with two more additions (gold in 1500m and silver in 5000m) to her rich collection of medals from international outings.

That was not enough. Faith Cherotich, who goes by the name ‘Small Faith’ within athletics circles, delivered the 3000m steeplechase title in the same style as Chebet and Kipyegon.

But Lilian Odira, who was racing alongside the then defending champion Mary Moraa (the dancing queen) zoomed past the reigning Olympic 800m champion Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkison and compatriot, Olympic 1500m silver medallist Georgia Hunter Bel, in a historic kick that left the Britons settling for silver and bronze respectively.

In the process, Odira stormed to her world title in 1:54.62, which is a new championship record, obliterating the previous fastest world championships time of 1:54.68 was set by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.

Olympic gold medallist Peres Jepchirchir taught women-only marathon record holder Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia a vital lesson in finishing a 42km contest with a killer kick.

Assefa had in April shattered the 2:16:16 women-only world record set by Jepchirchir in 2024 but the Kenyan queen served the revenge hot in Tokyo.

And so, the Kenyan women ruled Tokyo, winning all nearly the middle and long distance events from 800m to marathon.

Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi saved the country's blushes as he ruthlessly powered to victory in the men’s 800m.

The women and Wanyonyi as well as other medallists such as Dorcus Ewoi (silver in the women’s 1500m), Edmund Serem (3000m steeplechase bronze medallist) and Reynold Cheruiyot (who bagged bronze medal in the men’s1500m) ran well-measured races and credited their success to meticulous plots and team work.

“Teamwork was key in us winning the gold medal (in the women’s 800m). We prepared well before the championship. I didn’t know I was going to win, but when the opportunity presented itself, I took it. I am so happy,” Odira said as she basked in glory after the victory in the final day of the global showpiece on September 21.

Odira’s rise to stardom has been steady. Her athletics career started in school games where she became a national champion in 2016 aged 17 and East African second runner-up the same year while representing St Peter's Keberesi Secondary School in Kisii County.

She credited the jaw-dropping 800m world title to committed coaching by Jacinta Muraguri, a retired athlete.

“She is one of the best coaches I have ever had in my life. We started with her from scratch until now when I have made it to be a world champion. She has been my mum, a motivator and mentor. When in the field, she is my coach and away from training she is my mentor and mum,” says Odira.

It was Kipyegon’s fourth world 1500m title and the three-Olympic title says queens who represented Kenya in the event stuck to a script.

The Tokyo title propelled her to the league of legends who have dominated the World Athletics Championships.

She rivaled legendary 3000m steeplechaser Ezekiel Kemboi who also has four world titles to his name.

Kipyegon, the world record holder in the women’s 1500m displayed focus from the start of the race, as she immediately stepped to the lead after the gun and gloriously controlled the pace all the way to the finish.

Her camaraderie with Chebet pushed the duo to a 1-2 finish in the women’s 5000m.

 “We are always really close with Beatrice and we motivate each other. In Eugene (2023 World Championships) I cheered her up and she also cheered me,” Kipyegon said, adding that racing together as friends helped them achieve the 5000m feat.

Chebet was spotted shedding tears of joy as she cheered Kipyegon to her fourth 1500m title at the Japan National Stadium.

Kipyegon, Ewoi and Nelly Chepchirchir all stuck to each other until the last 200m when they made their decisive moves, a strategy that seemingly worked for them as they pushed to dominate their events.

Apart from their beauty, punctuated with well-manicured nails and stunning looks, Kenya’s golden women as well as the country’s men, displayed confidence in and out of the stadium.

They told the world how they felt after making the podium, their successes in a sport that has put Kenya on the globe’s map and their dramatic face-offs with rivals and they impressed with English speaking unlike previously when a number of Kenyan stars delivered mumbled speeches that made it difficult for the world to understand them.

But an astounding improvement in their speech presentation was witnessed in Tokyo.

Kenyans in social media wondered where the country’s queens such as Dorcus Ewoi (1500m), Doris Lemngole (3000m steeplechase) and Odira among others learned their flawless communication skills from.

In recent years, a number of Kenyan athletes have managed to strike a balance between their education and athletics careers while others have benefitted from academic scholarships in the US.

Nick Koech posted: “Kenyan athlete Dorcus Ewoi impresses everyone with her fluent English after clinching silver in the women’s 1500m.”

“Can she (Ewoi) be the spokesperson for all the athletes?” Julius Kioko asked.

Ewoi competes in the USA collegiate athletics (NCAA) Division 1 outdoor track and field where she finished fifth in 2023.

Lemngole is also a student in the Western nation and is the 2024 title winner of the 3000m steeplechase.

In 2027, the World Athletics action returns to Beijing, China where Kenyan stars topped the medal table in 2015.

In Tokyo, Kenya finished second with a total of 11 medals (7 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze) behind USA which harvested 26 medals.