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International Women’s Day: How Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet are inspiring young athletes
08th March, 2026 10:38 AM
As the world marks International Women’s Day, K24 Sports’ spotlight falls on arguably Kenya’s finest female athletes in the present generation, multiple world champions Faith Kipyegon and her compatriot Beatrice Chebet.
Off the track influence
Aside from setting new and breaking old records in international road and track events, world champion Faith Kipyegon has taken a step forward to ensure that women in her rural home of Keringet, Kericho County, could give birth safely, eight years after giving birth to her daughter, Alyn.
In Keringet and its surrounding areas, pregnant women often endure long, exhausting journeys, walking up to 35 kilometres, just to reach a health facility. The hardship, Kipyegon previously said, is something she has witnessed since childhood and continues to see today.
Inspired by the hardships pregnant women go through in her rural area, the global athletics icon has established a maternity health facility that has come as a sigh of relief to the locals in Keringet for safer childbirth.
Since 2018, Kipyegon has etched her name deeper into athletics history, collecting two Olympic gold medals in the 1500m, four world titles across the 1500m and 5000m, and setting new world records. Yet, on Wednesday, January 25, in Ndabibit village, she marked a milestone that transcended sport.
At a national level, Kenya continues to grapple with high maternal mortality. According to 2025–2026 figures, the country records 355 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, translating to an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 women dying each year due to pregnancy-related complications. For Kipyegon, such statistics are unacceptable.
In what she does best, Faith Kipyegon has earned yet another global accolade after being shortlisted for the 2026 edition of the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards, marking her third straight nomination in the Women’s Sportswoman of the Year category.
Historic season
The Kenyan middle-distance icon secured her place among the world’s elite following a historic season that saw her clinch a fourth World Championships gold medal in the 1500 metres, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest athletes of her generation. Her nomination was unveiled during a ceremony held in Madrid on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, officially launching the countdown to one of sport’s most celebrated nights on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Her recognition comes shortly after she announced her arrival in long-distance racing in emphatic fashion on Sunday, February 15, 2026, powering to victory in the Monaco Run Gramaglia 10 kilometres (K), her first competitive race over the distance. Kipyegon crossed the finish line in a commanding 29:47, proving her dominance is not confined to the track.
Chebet inspires
In 2025, the University of Kabianga nominated world athletic champion Beatrice Chebet for a prestigious award for her contribution to global sports, particularly in long-distance running. Worth noting, Chebet has been on record as a double gold medalist in the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter races of the 2024 Summer Olympics and the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
The double Olympic champion is taking a break from competition for the entire 2026 season to start a family, as announced in January 2026. Following a highly successful 2025 campaign, she is focusing on motherhood and is expected to return to the track.
Meanwhile, International Women’s Day could not go without the recognition of the two top female athletes Kenya has ever produced.
