Tekla Chemabwai

Tekla Chemabwai ran at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics, making history in 1968, along with two other Kenyan women, as the first appearance of Kenyan women at the Olympic Games. In order to get a passport, however, Kenyan authorities had to lie about her age, listing it as 3 July 1950, when in fact, she was born on 3 February 1954.

Chemabwai became a runner because her school was 11 km from her village and she ran to and from school each day. In 1972 she was approached about attending school in the United States, and eventually earned a track scholarship to Chicago State University. At Chicago State she moved up in distance and would later win a silver medal in the 800 metres at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Not used to the cold Chicago winters, she later transferred to a school in New Mexico.

Returning to Kenya after receiving her degree, Chemabwai joined Rift Valley Institute of Technology as a trainer, later coaching legendary distance runner, Tegla Leroupe. Chemabwai also studied at Mosoriot Teacher’s Training College and then joined Moi University in 1987, teaching sports and physical education.

Chemabwai was married to Kenyan Olympic gold medalist Julius Sang. After his early death in 2004, in 2018 she started the Chemabwai-Sang Educational Centre in Eldoret, a talent identification centre, teaching and training as many as 300 students.

Personal Best: 400 – 53.38 (1972).