Late Monday night, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), an emotional homecoming awaited double world champion Faith Kipyegon.
As she stepped through the exit doors, tears welled up in her eyes, and she was lifted onto her shoulders in a gesture of jubilation.
The delay of her arrival by nearly two hours did little to diminish the fervour of the crowd that had gathered. Friends, family, passionate athletics fans, and even arriving tourists were swept up in the moment, sharing in the triumphant return of their sporting heroines.
Monday night witnessed the return of only two medalists from Budapest. While many athletes had dispersed across Europe for their Diamond League commitments, the heroines of the moment, Faith Kipyegon and Mary Moraa, stood firmly on Kenyan soil.
Mary Moraa clinched the 800m gold, echoing Kipyegon’s sentiments as she too basked in the overwhelming reception.
Kipyegon’s hands covered her face in astonishment. Despite her numerous victories, the overwhelming reception caught her by surprise. “Amazing!” she exclaimed, still feeling the crowd’s energy around her. “I truly didn’t expect this. It’s not just motivating for me but for Team Kenya as a whole. This warm welcome is both emotional and motivating. It’s a beautiful feeling for every athlete in our country.”
At age 29, Kipyegon etched her name into history in Budapest. Her remarkable achievement of winning both the 1500m and 5,000m gold medals in a single World Championships event marked a turning point. Her successful year was further underlined by the fact that she had already broken three world records.
Reflecting on her accomplishments, Kipyegon shared, “This has been a year of incredible success for me, and I couldn’t be happier. I started the year with determination, and I knew that my efforts would yield something remarkable.”
As the nation embraced its champions, the airport echoed with celebratory cheers, marking a memorable moment in Kenya’s sporting history.
