It’s no secret that some of our best track and field athletes come from the North Rift region – including middle-distance star, Pamela Jelimo.
Born in December of 1989 in Kiptamok Village in Nandi, Pamela took an interest in running at a young age. Her mother was a promising sprinter and so it seems the running genes were passed on to Pamela. Though it wasn’t until she was a teenager, thirteen to be exact, that Pamela started running more competitively. She was a form one student at Koyo Secondary School at the time and P.E quickly (and easily) became one of her favorite lessons. Her future in athletics indeed looked promising.
Celebrating the Small Wins
And in 2006 this became a reality. She was talent spotted in Eldoret and encouraged to join the national athletics team; however this could only be done by having her join the police force. This way, she could have more scheduled trainings in preparation for big events. And so began the development of this Kenyan athlete. From early mornings to timed sprints, Jelimo was understanding not only the value of hard work, but also the importance of discipline. 400-meter races became her area of comfort and confidence, and by August of 2007 she was one of the under 19 athletes off to Burkina Faso to participate at the eighth edition of the African Junior Athletics Championships. Her first race was the 400-meter event, which she won, leaving her with the thrill and excitement of victory, especially on foreign ground. She was set for the 200-meter event, but in this one she finished last and this dampened her mood. If there was one thing to take away though, it was that she was proving to herself and other Kenyan track athletes that Kenyans weren’t just good for long-distance events, but sprints too. At the Championships, Jelimo also found herself drawn to the 800-meter events and upon her return home, she spoke to her trainers about advancing to 800-meter races.
Setting New Records
This too would not be an easy process, but she had her eye on the prize. In 2008 she was among team Kenya at the All Africa Games and set to run alongside Olympic Champion, Maria Mutola from Mozambique. But Jelimo was ready and set, and less than two minutes after the race began, she finished first, breaking the world junior record with an impressive time of 1:55.76. This was her first gold medal. Her next goal? The Olympics!
It’s no surprise then that in August of 2008 she was with the Kenyan team off to Beijing for the Olympics. This was a bigger ‘stage’ if you will, and she was running among the best of the best for the 800-meter event. Again, it was ready, set, run! And there went Jelimo, face stern, free of emotion, but poised as she sprinted ahead of her opponents, coming through the finish line ahead of the rest.
It was beautiful to witness, and for her, beautiful to experience. She had become the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal, and so on the award stage, it was once again wonderful to see the Kenyan flag hoisted and our national anthem played.
Hongera Pamela Jelimo, for your pursuit of victory and for making us a nation of great athletes.
#KeFemaleFirsts #KeWachezaji
