 Obiri after her win at theGolden Gala meet in Rome in 2017 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Hellen Onsando Obiri |
| Born | (1989-12-13)13 December 1989 (age 36) |
| Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)[1] |
| Weight | 50 kg (110 lb)[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | Middle-,Long-distance running |
| Team | On Athletics Club |
| Coached by | Dathan Ritzenhein (2022–) Ricky Simms (–2022) |
Medal record | |
Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyanmiddle- andlong-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won world titles inindoortrack,outdoor track andcross country. Obiri is a two-time Olympic5,000 metres silver medallist from the2016 Rio de Janeiro and2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the10,000 metres. She is a two-time world champion after winning the 5,000 m in2017 and again in2019, when she set a new championship record. Obiri also took world bronze for the1,500 metres in2013 and silver in the 10,000 m in2022. She won the3,000 metres race at the2012 World Indoor Championships, claimed silver in2014, and placed fourth in2018. She is the2019 World Cross Country champion. Obiri triumphed in the2023 Boston Marathon, her secondmarathon race. She places fifth in thehalf marathon on theworld all-time list.[2]
She won a bronze medal in the2024 Summer Olympics in thewomen's marathon. In addition, she won 1st place in the2025 New York City Marathon, with a record time of 2:19:51.
Obiri is the formerKenyan national record holder for themile and the 5000 metres, having set personal bests of 4:16.15 and 14:18.37 in the events, respectively.
Obiri was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans byNew African magazine in 2017.[3]
Hellen Onsando Obiri was born on 13 December 1989 inKisii, Kenya.[1] She was the fourth child in a family of six children. At age 14, she was recruited as a200 and400 metressprinter to attend Riruta Central Secondary School inNairobi. However, she lost interest in the sport and stopped running altogether in 2006 and 2007 to focus on her studies. She only re-engaged with athletics to join the military. In 2009, Obiri graduated from Kenya Defence Forces Recruit Training School inEldoret. Her first major race was at the 2010 Kenya Armed Forces Cross Country Championships, where she finished 32nd. She placed fifth after some training the following year. She is a member of theKenya Defense Forces (KDF).[4]
She is married to Tom Nyaundi, a former runner, and they have a daughter, Tania 'Blessing' Macheche, born in May 2015 throughcaesarean section. Obiri resumed racing within seven months.[5]
Obiri gained her first international experience at the2011 Military World Games inRio de Janeiro, where she won the bronze medal for the800 metres and placed fourth in the1500 metres. She debuted in theWorld Championships in Athletics held in2011 inDaegu, South Korea the following month, competing at the latter distance. Obiri set a personal best time of 4:07.59 in the heats but fell in the final, bringing pre-event favouriteMorgan Uceny down with her, and finished 10th.[6] She later said, "After Daegu I went back to Kenya and started training seriously."[4]
In 2012, the 22-year-old took her first global title at theIstanbul World Indoor Championships, clocking8:37.16 over the3000 metres. This became the turning point of her career. That same year, she debuted in theOlympics at theLondon Games, finishing initially 12th and last in the 1500 m final, upgraded to seventh after subsequent doping disqualifications.[7]
On 1 June 2013, Obiri won her firstDiamond League race with 1500 m victory inEugene, setting a new personal best and meet record of 3:58.58.[6] She earned bronze in theevent at theWorld Championships in Athletics held in August inMoscow. Obiri then earned the silver medal in the 3000 m at the2014 World Indoor Championships inSopot, Poland, behind multiple world record-holderGenzebe Dibaba. On 9 May that year at theDohaDiamond League, she set an African record in the outdoor event with a time of 8:20.68, improving her personal best by more than 13 seconds.[4] In August, she added1500 m title at theAfrican Championships.[6]
At the2016 Olympics inRio de Janeiro, Obiri competed in the5000 metres and earned the silver medal in a time of14:29.77, behind compatriotVivian Cheruiyot in an Olympic record of 14:26.17 and ahead of Ethiopia'sAlmaz Ayana who ran 14:33.59.[8]
Obiri represented Kenya at the2017 World Championships in London in the same event and won the gold medal with a time of14:34.86, ahead of Ayana andSifan Hassan.[9]
2018 saw her take two more gold medals in the 5000 m events, at theGold Coast Commonwealth Games and at theAfrican Championships.[6]
In March 2019, Obiri won thesenior women's race at theWorld Cross Country Championship held inAarhus, Denmark, beating on a 10.2 km course second-placedDera Dida by two seconds with a time of 36:14.[10][11] After she posted best female times of the year in the 5000 metres in 2017 and 2018, Obiri successfully defended her title at theDoha World Championships in October, setting a championship record of14:26.72 in the process. Her compatriotMargaret Kipkemboi (14:27.49) andKonstanze Klosterhalfen (14:28.43) finished second and third, respectively.[12]
Obiri represented Kenya at the2020 Tokyo Olympics in both the women's5000 m and10,000 m events.[13] She won the silver medal at the former in a time of 14:38.36, finishing behind only Hassan who ran 14:36.79;Gudaf Tsegay took bronze in 14:38.87.[14] Obiri placed fourth in the 10,000 m final in a personal best behind, 1–3, Hassan,Kalkidan Gezahegne andLetesenbet Gidey.[15]
At the2022 World Championships inEugene, Oregon, Obiri came second in the10,000 m. She was beaten to gold by Gidey in a close finish (the top 3 were only separated by 0.13 s).[16]
She capped her fine 2022 season (64:22PB at theRas Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February; wins atIstanbul Half Marathon,Great Manchester Run andGreat North Run) in November debuting in themarathon at theNew York City Marathon, where she placed sixth.[17][18]
Obiri got her 2023 campaign off to strong start. In February, she won the RAK Half and then theNew York City Half Marathon in March. On 17 April, the 33-year-old ran her second marathon, competing in theBoston Marathon against the deepest elite women’s field ever assembled. She won with a personal best time of 2:21:38, 12 seconds clear of second-place finisherAmane Beriso who had by far the fastest personal best heading into the race (2:14:58).[19][20] Obiri went on to win the 2023 New York City Marathon in a time of 2:25:49.[21]
2017,[23]2018[24]| Type | Event | Time | Place | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track | 800 metres | 2:00.54 | London, United Kingdom | 5 August 2011 | |
| 1500 metres | 3:57.05 | Eugene, United States | 31 May 2014 | ||
| One mile | 4:16.15 | London, United Kingdom | 22 July 2018 | NR | |
| 3000 metres | 8:20.68 | Doha, Qatar | 9 May 2014 | NR | |
| 3000 metres indoor | 8:29.41 | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 18 February 2017 | NR | |
| Two miles | 9:14.55 | Eugene, United States | 20 August 2021 | ||
| 5000 metres | 14:18.37 | Rome, Italy | 8 June 2017 | NR | |
| 10,000 metres | 30:10.02 | Eugene, United States | 16 July 2022 | ||
| 4 × 1500 m relay | 16:33.58 | Nassau, Bahamas | 24 May 2014 | African record | |
| Road | 5 km | 14:30 | Zurich, Switzerland | 8 September 2021 | |
| 10 km | 30:15 | Manchester, United Kingdom | 22 May 2022 | (also 29:59 not legal) | |
| Half marathon | 1:04:22 | Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates | 19 February 2022 | Mx5th all-time[25] | |
| Marathon | 2:19:51 | New York, United States | 2 November 2025 |
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
| 3000 metres (1980–1993) |
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| 5000 metres (1995–present) |
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Note: In1995, the 3000 m was replaced by the 5000 m. | |
| 3000 metres (1978–1994) | |
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| 5000 metres (1998–present) | |
African Champions in women's1500 metres | |
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African Champions in women's5000 metres | |
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