Team Kenya concluded its campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics with an impressive total of 11 medals, making it the top nation on the continent.
The team secured four gold medals in the 10,000-meter, 5,000-meter, 1,500-meter, and 800-meter events.
Gold Medals
Beatrice Chebet (2 Golds)
Beatrice Chebet made history by winning two gold medals at her Olympic debut. She triumphed in the women’s 5,000 meters final just four days before winning the 10,000 meters with a time of 30:43.25 at the Stade de France.
Chebet is the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters and only the third woman ever to achieve the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the Olympics, joining the ranks of Tirunesh Dibaba and Sifan Hassan. She also holds the world record in the 10,000 meters.
Faith Kipyegon (1 Gold)
Faith Kipyegon made history by becoming the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 1,500 meters. The 30-year-old former champion showcased her tactical prowess, setting a new Olympic record of 3:51.29 at the Stade de France.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1 Gold)
Emmanuel Wanyonyi achieved a personal best to claim gold in the men’s 800 meters, finishing in 1:41.19. He narrowly beat Canada’s Marco Arop, who set an area record of 1:41.20, while Djamel Sedjati took bronze with a time of 1:41.50.
Silver Medals
Faith Kipyegon (1 Silver)
In a dramatic turn of events, Faith Kipyegon had her silver medal reinstated in the women’s 5,000 meters after an appeal against her initial disqualification for allegedly obstructing Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay. This reinstatement secured Kenya’s top two finishes in a highly competitive race.
Ronald Kwemoi (1 Silver)
Ronald Kwemoi earned a silver medal in the men’s 5,000 meters, finishing behind Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who dominated the race.
Bronze Medals
Faith Cherotich (1 Bronze)
On her Olympic debut, Faith Cherotich claimed bronze in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a personal best of 8:55.15.
Abraham Kibiwott (1 Bronze)
Abraham Kibiwott secured bronze in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:06.47, in a thrilling race that saw Soufiane El Bakkali defend his Olympic title.
Mary Moraa (1 Bronze)
Mary Moraa clinched bronze in the women’s 800 meters, finishing with a time of 1:57.42. She was edged out for gold by Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, who set a time of 1:56.72.
Benson Kipruto (1 Bronze)
Benson Kipruto finished third in the marathon with a time of 2:07:00, earning a bronze medal as Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola took gold.
Hellen Obiri (1 Bronze)
Hellen Obiri claimed bronze in the women’s marathon, finishing in 2:23:10, behind the world record-holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia and the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who won gold.
Kenya’s strong performance at the Paris Olympics not only highlights their dominance in middle and long-distance events but also cements their status as a powerhouse in athletics on the global stage.
