Agnes Jebet keen to stay on path to greatness
Women's senior race winners, gold medallist Beatrice Chebet of Kenya (centre), silver medallist Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia (left) and bronze medalist Agnes Jebet Ngetich of Kenya pose with their medals after the 2023 World Cross Country Championships at Mount Panorama in Bathusrt on February 18, 2023.
What you need to know:
- She started the season by winning a bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia in February.
The World Cross Country bronze medallist Agnes Jebet Ng’etich has one goal on her mind when she lines up for the women’s 10,000m race at the World Championships that begins on Saturday in Budapest: win gold.
It has been a long journey to stardom for Jebet who grew up in a difficult environment.
As a young girl growing up in Rift Valley she used to help her mother prepare chang'aa for sale. It is the income derived from this illicit activity that enabled her mother pay school fees for the Kenyan distance running star.
Jebet said she only picked up athletics because her mother kept pushing her having seen who her daughter ran freely in the farm.
While in Standard Seven, she competing in a school’s 5,000m race and was leading when she pasted out and did not finish.
Assisted her
A lady called Ruth Bundotich assisted her and went on to train her in 2017 before she was enrolled at Ikaika Sports Management. The management team helped Jebet’s mother to build a permanent house and paid school fees for her siblings.
“Ikaika Athletics Management has changed my life and my athletics career is now stable."
She started the season by winning a bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia in February.
“It wasn’t easy to win a slot in Team Kenya but I did and my preparations are on track for a podium spot in Budapest.
“I’m in good shape,” she simply said.
