Sheila Cherop Mutai, the proprietor of Eldoret’s Leica Beauty Salon where Faith Kipyegon has her hair done.
| Jared Nyataya | Nation Media GroupAthletics
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Why this Eldoret hair stylist is on the edge as Faith Kipyegon chases third title
What you need to know:
- Afterwards, Kipyegon sent warm regards to Cherop and the rest of her fans watching her from back home.
- “I know Cherop and the rest of the fans will be watching. I hope to make them proud,” she said.
In Budapest
When world and Olympic 1,500 metres champion Faith Chepng’etich Kipyegon takes the final step towards claiming a historic third straight world title at the World Athletics Championships here in Budapest tomorrow, the whole country will be waiting with bated breath.
But Sheila Cherop Mutai, a hair stylist who is in Eldoret, some 8,037 kilometres away from Budapest where Kipyegon will be competing tomorrow from 10.30pm, will be on the edge of her seat.
Kipyegon is chasing a third unprecedented world 1,500m title in Budapest.
She holds the world record of three minutes, 49.57 seconds in the women’s 1,500m, and also holds the record over 5,000m race of 14:05.20, as well as in the One Mile race (4:07.62).
Other than the 1,500m race, she will also double in women’s 5,000m race here. If all goes according to plan, she could return from Budapest with two world titles.
Beyond just being friends, Kipyegon and Cherop share a special bond.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji, Netherlands' Sifan Hassan and other athletes compete in the women's 1500m semi-final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 20, 2023.
As a salonist, Cherop ensures Kipyegon’s hair looks good for TV as she celebrates milestone after milestone on the track.
She weaves the athlete’s hair into a modest natural twist that is slowly becoming the two-time world 1,500m champion’s trade mark hair style.
In turn, Kipyegon has been Cherop’s faithful client for years.
Sheila Cherop Mutai (right), the proprietor of Eldoret’s Leica Beauty Salon where Faith Kipyegon has her hair done, together with Wilkister Akinyi, a hair stylist, attend to a client at the salon recently.
It started two years ago when Kipyegon checked in at Leica Beaty Salon in Eldoret to have her hair done at the eleventh hour when the athlete had only a few minutes left to catch a flight to a competition abroad.
“Faith loves natural twist any day because it is light, natural and puts no pressure on the scalp. Above all, she loves it because it is a celebration of being African. She uses it to stay in touch with her roots,” Cherop, a University of Eldoret alumna, says.
She has run the salon since 2021, first at Nandi Arcade in Eldoret before moving to Mezzanine Two at Daima Towers in the same town.
“Having Faith as an athlete has raised the profile of our business. We have received more athlete clients, but we would not mind having more.
“I started the salon after relocating to Nairobi and I could not find a place to take care of my natural hair. Now it has become a business,” the mother of one who credits her success to husband, Brian About.
“I am rooting for Faith at the World Athletics Championships. Whenever she goes to competitions, I take keen interest, and this time is no different,” she said.
On Saturday, Kipyegon won her 1,500m heat in four minutes and 02.62 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji (4:02.72) to qualify for yesterday’s semi-finals which she won in 3:55.14.
She welcomed Dutch runner Sifan Hassan’s decision to compete alongside her in women’s 1,500m and 5,000m races, saying the Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion adds quality to the competitions.
Afterwards, Kipyegon sent warm regards to Cherop and the rest of her fans watching her from back home.
“I know Cherop and the rest of the fans will be watching. I hope to make them proud,” she said.
