This archive report was first published on 11 January 2020.
Meet Hellen Chepngeno, the First African Woman to Win World Cross Gold ¶
On a historic day in 1994, Hellen Chepngeno etched her name in the annals of athletics by becoming the first African woman to win the World Cross Country Championships title in Budapest, Hungary.
However, her illustrious career in athletics was cut short due to persistent injuries. Despite this, Chepngeno continues to serve as a Kenya Prisons officer, currently in charge of security at the Kericho Main Prisons.
During a recent interview at her home, Chepngeno reflected on her time in athletics, expressing her love for the sport and the opportunities it provided for her to travel the world. However, she noted that her current role as a prisons officer is demanding and often prevents her from attending local athletics competitions.
"Last year, I missed the World Cross Country Championships trials in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County because of my job. It's really demanding but we have to work," Chepngeno said.
Born in 1967 in Kitapen, Bomet Central, Bomet County, Chepngeno was one of 10 children in her family. She attended Kitapen Primary School, graduating in 1987. Her love for athletics led her to participate in the All Africa Games at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, where she finished fifth in the 3,000 meters race, competing barefoot.
Kenya Prisons Service officials took notice of her talent and recruited her to the force. Chepngeno's journey in athletics began at a young age, when she was in Standard Three and would run home from school for lunch. She also ran whenever she was sent to the shops, unaware that she was training for a future in athletics.
"I wanted to surprise my parents. When they used to send me to the shops, I ran very fast and returned quickly. Little did I know that I was training and that one day I would become a star," Chepngeno said.
Chepngeno's early career in athletics was marked by several notable performances, including finishing third in her first outing in 1990 and competing in the World Cross Country Championships in Boston, USA in 1992, where she finished 45th. Despite being dropped from the team in 1993, Chepngeno continued to train and eventually emerged as the winner of the National trials for the World Cross Country Championships in 1994.
At the World Cross Country Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Chepngeno beat a competitive field to become the first African woman to win gold in the senior category. She clocked 20:45 in the 6.22 kilometres race, beating Ireland's Catherina McKiernan who timed 20:52, while Conceicao Ferreira from Portugal, who clocked 20:52 was third.
After her historic win, Chepngeno was ruled out of major competitions due to an injury she picked on her knee. However, she remained an active athlete and competed in several road races until her retirement from sports in 2002.
Today, Chepngeno is grateful to the Kenya Prisons Service for rewarding her with a promotion to the position of superintendent. She also takes pride in having identified another legendary runner, Catherine Ndereba, during one of the local races she was competing in.
