Kenya’s world beating athletes make triumphant return from Tokyo

Supporters, government officials and Athletics Kenya leaders thronged Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to celebrate Team Kenya triumph.

Kenya clinched an impressive 11 medals; 7 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze; finishing second overall behind the USA and topping the African continent.

Songs, ululations, and multi-cultural traditional dances filled the arrivals lounge as friends and families draped the athletes with "sinendet"—the evergreen plant symbolizing victory and blessing.

Among the 48 athletes who arrived were four gold medallists: Beatrice Chebet (5000m, 10000m), Faith Kipyegon (1500m), Emmanuel Wanyonyi (800m), and Lillian Odira (800m).

Kenya Prisons’ Lillian Odira, who stunned the world by winning the 800m title, was beaming.

“Becoming a world champion is a huge honour. We worked so hard as a team, and our plan was to sweep the podium. I’m thrilled to bring the gold medal back home,” Odira said.

Kenya’s women made history by sweeping every gold medal from middle-distance and marathon events in the nine-day championship.

Their supremacy stretched from 800m to the marathon, capped by Odira’s record-breaking run that shattered a 42-year-old championship mark.

Double world champion Beatrice Chebet, who emulated her Olympics heroics by completing another double, vowed to keep raising the bar.

“I’m still hungry for more. I want to become a multiple world champion and, ultimately multi- Olympic champion,” said Chebet, living up to her “Smiling Assassin” nickname.

The indomitable Faith Kipyegon, who retained her 1500m world title and a silver in 5000m, said Team Kenya had a point to prove in Tokyo.

“We wanted to win more medals here than in Budapest, and I’m proud we lifted the Kenyan flag even higher,” Kipyegon said.

“There’s no time to rest—I’ll be racing at the Athlos Meet in the USA on October 10. It’s a special women-only event that celebrates and promotes women in sport.”

Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi, who led the government delegation at JKIA, lauded the athletes’ performance.

“We are here to welcome our champions, and finishing second in the world is a great achievement,” said Mwangi.

“The government will honour all its pledges—three million shillings for gold, two million for silver, and one million for bronze medallists as promised by the President.”