At just 20 years old, Faith Cherotich is already being hailed as one of Kenya’s most promising athletes, a rising star with the weight of a nation’s Olympic hopes on her shoulders. Her goal is ambitious yet simple: to become the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold in the 3000m steeplechase, a feat that has eluded the East African powerhouse since the event’s debut at the 2008 Beijing Games. With a bronze medal from the Paris 2024 Olympics and another from the 2023 World Championships already in her collection, Cherotich has quickly emerged as the face of the future for Kenyan athletics.
Born and raised in Segetet village, Kipkelion West, a sleepy village nestled in the highlands of Kericho County, Cherotich’s journey began like many of Kenya’s elite runners on the red-dirt paths of her rural village, where running was less of a sport and more of a daily necessity. She attended a local secondary School within the County, a region famed for producing long-distance running legends. It was there that her raw talent began to shine, catching the eyes of coaches and scouts who recognized her potential during secondary school competitions.
Cherotich burst onto the international scene at just 16, winning a bronze medal at the World U20 Championships in 2021. She followed that up with a gold medal at the same event in 2022, solidifying her status as a future star. Her progression since then has been nothing short of phenomenal. By the time she turned 19, she had already posted the second-fastest time in history on the U20 all-time list and ranked seventh among seniors worldwide. She consistently finished on the podium at Diamond League meets and claimed a coveted Diamond League trophy just weeks after earning her Olympic bronze in Paris, an achievement that underscored her arrival at the sport’s highest level.
Her achievements on the track have been matched by accolades off it. In 2023, she was named Rising Star at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco, a year after being honoured as the Most Promising Female Athlete at the Kenya Sports Personality of the Year Awards. At the most recent edition, she finished fourth overall in the Sports Personality of the Year category, Kenya’s highest individual sporting honour. The media and fans affectionately call her “Last Born,” a nod to her youth and her status as the youngest athlete on Kenya’s Olympic team in Paris.
Despite her meteoric rise, Cherotich’s path has not been without its challenges. In 2023, just four weeks before the national trials for the World Championships in Budapest, she was involved in a serious road accident. Traveling with her coach Benard Rono to Eldoret International Airport en route to a Diamond League meet in Rome, their vehicle collided head-on with another after swerving to avoid a runaway trailer. Though all passengers survived, Cherotich suffered the most serious injuries losing consciousness and several teeth. Most would have considered withdrawing from competition, but Cherotich was back in training just a week after being discharged from hospital. Not only did she return, she finished third at the Kenyan trials and went on to win bronze at the World Championships. It was a moment that revealed her resilience as much as her talent.
That same mental toughness has been nurtured by none other than Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic champion and middle-distance icon. The two share more than a first name; they share a mentor-mentee bond that has blossomed over the years as shared in a past interview. “Kipyegon has been mentoring me on how to be a good athlete,” Cherotich said. “I want to follow her. She’s taught me a lot.” Their stories are remarkably similar young girls running through the hills of rural Kenya, now carrying the hopes of a nation on the world stage.
Cherotich also finds inspiration just a short distance from her own home in Kericho County, where Olympic champion and world record holder Beatrice Chebet also hails. Like Chebet, Cherotich is quiet and unassuming, preferring to let her performances speak for themselves. Her hometown, known more for its tea plantations than track stars, now boasts two of the brightest names in world athletics.
As the countdown to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles begins, Kenya’s attention will be fixed firmly on Cherotich. Since the women’s 3000m steeplechase was introduced to the Olympics, Kenyan athletes have always found a place on the podium but never on the top step. Cherotich is determined to change that. With her remarkable track record, unshakable spirit, and the backing of legends like Kipyegon, she is not just running for gold she is running for history. If her trajectory continues, the “Last Born” might just become Kenya’s first Olympic queen of the steeplechase.
