Kenya’s athletics landscape in 2025 will be remembered asone of the most extraordinary chapters in the country’s storied runninghistory.
From the floodlit National Stadium in Tokyo during the WorldAthletics Championships in September to the closing weeks of the year on theroads of Valencia, Kenyan athletes delivered a string of performances combininghistoric firsts, unbreakable dominance, and the emergence of a new goldengeneration—particularly among women.
The defining moment of the year came between 13–21 Septemberat the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where Kenya finished second onthe overall medal table with an astonishing haul of 11 medals: seven gold, twosilver, and two bronze.
For the first time in the 42-year history of thechampionships, Kenyan women completed a clean sweep of every distance event onthe track and road—from 800 m to the marathon.
Lilian Odira opened the floodgates with a commanding victoryin the 800 m, followed by Faith Kipyegon’s masterful third consecutive worldtitle in the 1,500 m, where she ran 3:52.02 and led Dorcas Ewoi to silver in anidentical time for a Kenyan 1–2.
Faith Cherotich, still only 21, destroyed the women’s 3,000m steeplechase field, while Beatrice Chebet achieved a rare championship doubleby winning both the 5,000 m and 10,000 m in devastating fashion.
The sweep was completed on the final day when PeresJepchirchir, the Olympic champion, powered away to marathon gold on the streetsof Tokyo.
Six events, six Kenyan women on the top step of thepodium—an achievement that left the global athletics community speechless andprompted headlines around the world proclaiming the dawn of “Kenya’sunstoppable queens.”
The men, though unable to match the women’s sweep, stilldelivered performances of the highest order.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi capped an unbeaten season by winning themen’s 800 m in Tokyo and was later crowned World Athletics Male Track Athleteof the Year at a glittering awards ceremony in Monaco in December.
Reynold Cheruiyot took a brilliant silver in the men’s 1,500m, while 21-year-old Edmund Serem collected bronze in the steeplechase and wasnamed Male Rising Star of the Year, signalling a bright future for Kenyanmiddle-distance running.
Away from the championship track, Kenya’s marathon runnerscontinued to set the global standard.
Sabastian Sawe produced one of the most consistent seasonsever seen on the road, winning both the London Marathon in April and the BerlinMarathon in September in course-record style.
His dominance earned him the World Athletics MaleOut-of-Stadium Athlete of the Year award.
Alexander Mutiso Munyao joined him on the London podium witha third-place finish, while in December Joyciline Jepkosgei closed the year inspectacular fashion by smashing the Valencia Marathon course record with apersonal best of 2:14:00—the fastest women’s marathon time of 2025 and a clearstatement that Kenya’s road supremacy remains absolute.
Kenyan athletes also shone in less heralded arenas.
At the Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo in November, Ian Wambuiled a historic 1–2–3 Kenyan sweep in the men’s 5,000 m, breaking both theDeaflympics and deaf world records with 13:52.83.
James Musembi and Nelson Kipkorir completed the podium,while Viola Jelimo added a bronze in the women’s race.
Domestically, the Athletics Kenya National Championships andWorld Championship trials in June and July produced ferocious competition.
Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, reaffirmed hissprint supremacy by winning the national 100 m title, while the middle- andlong-distance races showcased depth that few nations can match.
Youngsters such as Brian Komen, Timothy Cheruiyot’s youngerbrother, and steeplechaser Amos Serem pushed established stars all the way,underscoring the conveyor belt of talent emerging from the Rift Valley.
Faith Kipyegon, already a national icon, became Kenya’s mostsearched personality of 2025 according to Google Trends, reflecting the prideher third straight 1,500 m world title inspired.
Beatrice Chebet was voted Kenya’s Female Long-DistanceAthlete of the Year by local journalists, while Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s flawlesscampaign saw him edge Ferdinand Omanyala for the male equivalent.
Debutant David Munaua is also not to be forgotten after he produced one of the biggest upsets in World Darts Championship history on this year becoming the first Kenyan to win a match at the prestigious tournament held at Alexandra Palace in London.
The 30-year-old, a full-time veterinarian from Murang’a, came from 2–0 down to defeat world number 18 Mike De Decker 3–2 in a thrilling first-round battle.
Munyua, who qualified through the African Darts Group Qualifier, stunned his Belgian opponent with a remarkable comeback that captivated the crowd at the famed Ally Pally venue.
His victory marked a major milestone for Kenyan and African darts, with his win described as “one of the greatest upsets” in the event’s history.
After levelling the match at 2–2, Munyua produced an electrifying 135 checkout on the bull to keep Kenya’s hopes alive before sealing the win with double 20 on his fourth match dart.
By any measure, 2025 was a landmark year. Seven worldchampionship golds, multiple global athlete-of-the-year honours, courserecords, and a perfect sweep of women’s distance events combined to produceKenya’s finest collective performance since the glory days of the early 2000s.
As the curtain fell on the season, one truth was clearerthan ever: Kenya’s running dynasty is not merely enduring—it is evolving, witha fearless new generation of women leading the charge and the men poised tofollow.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
