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Kenya’s Olympic medalist and 800m champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who recently captivated fans with his stunning performance at the 2024 Olympic Games, shared the inspiring story of how his rise to success in athletics came with significant challenges that almost led him to give up.
Wanyonyi revealed that his journey to becoming a world-class athlete was sparked by a friend’s generous act of lending him a pair of running shoes, a moment that changed his life and shattered the poverty he had grown up in.
He recalled that growing up, he couldn’t afford basic needs like shoes. However, one day when visiting a friend, he noticed several pairs of running shoes on display and was intrigued.
“There was a friend of mine named Kibe who had a pair of shoes. One day, during my running sessions, I saw him showing off his shoes, and I asked him what they were for,” Wanyonyi said.
“At first, he thought I was joking, but when I insisted, he agreed to give me a pair of shoes and some shorts,” he added.
This simple act of kindness fueled Wanyonyi’s passion for running. After putting on the shoes, he decided to take his hobby seriously and turn it into a career by convincing a local school to let him compete for them.
“I had never run a day in my life or even thought about it, but my friend persuaded me to join him at a local track the next morning,” Wanyonyi explained.
Though he struggled at first, feeling muscle pains, he didn’t let it stop him. “The first day was tough, but I wasn’t tired. My friend even told me to take it easy, thinking I had run a long distance,” he recalled.
Despite the challenges and muscle aches, Wanyonyi stayed committed to his goal. “The next day my feet hurt badly, but I kept going because I knew resting would only make it worse,” he said.
Growing up, Wanyonyi didn’t have the opportunity to attend school, and as a result, he was often seen as mentally disturbed by those around him. Nevertheless, he refused to let this hold him back. He trained at a local school and eventually convinced the staff that he could represent them in competitions.
However, the teachers insisted that he must first enroll as a student before he could participate in activities with other students. So, Wanyonyi borrowed a uniform and rejoined school in class 7.
“The last time I was in school, I was in class 3, and when I returned, I was confused about how to catch up,” he shared.
Despite the obstacles, Wanyonyi’s determination to pursue his athletic dreams remained steadfast. “Training was tough in the beginning, and I even fell ill in 2017 and had to stop running for a while,” he recalled.
Now, at just 20 years old, Emmanuel Wanyonyi has won an Olympic title, a Diamond League final victory, a world championship silver medal, and a U20 world championship title in the 800 meters, proving that perseverance and self-belief can overcome even the toughest circumstances