The world 10km record holder finished with an impressive time of 1:03:04, securing first place.

Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay followed in second with a time of 1:03:21, while World Road Running 5km silver medalist Lillian Kasait took third at 1:03:32.

Ngetich’s return to Valencia was nothing short of spectacular; she previously shattered the women’s 10km world record at the Valencia Ibercaja race in January, clocking 28:46 and becoming the first woman to run the distance in under 29 minutes—beating the previous record set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, by 28 seconds.

This achievement came just three months after she set a women-only world record of 29:24 at the Transylvania 10km race in Romania.

In her last outing before this victory, Ngetich won the Adizero Road to Records 10km race in Herzogenaurach, Germany, finishing in 30:03.

She also claimed the senior women’s title at the national cross-country championships in March, clocking 31:51.

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Box Girls Kenya was recently unveiled as the Tujiamini Gold award winner for the Nairobi region, earning a cash prize of Kes. 500,000.

 The Tujiamini initiative, powered by SportPesa, is dedicated to nurturing grassroots talent and enhancing the quality of sports at the community level.

Analo Anjere, boxing coach and founder of Box Girls Kenya emphasized the need for a well-structured and exclusive Women’s Boxing League run entirely by women to promote enrollment and competitiveness through regular tournaments. ‘This will help build up our amateur and professional rankings to give our female boxers an edge regionally and globally,’ she said.

Her call for a dedicated league aligns with a broader vision to transform women’s boxing in Kenya, providing a platform for growth, recognition, and greater opportunities for female athletes both locally and on the international stage

Anjere noted that the Kes. 500,000 Tujiamini award will be used to upgrade the gym and training facilities in Kariobangi, Embakasi North Constituency, Nairobi, to better support their athletes. Meanwhile, Sarah Achieng, a professional boxer and sports administrator at Box Girls Kenya, highlighted that despite the growing interest and talent, women’s boxing in Kenya remains critically underdeveloped compared to men’s, underscoring the need for more investment and structural support

Sarah Achieng, a seasoned professional boxer and sports administrator at Box Girls Kenya, emphasized the need for regularly scheduled fights as crucial for the growth and development of boxing. ‘Female boxers, in particular, need consistent competition to maximize their full potential. I urge the public to strongly support women’s sports because we have the talent and requisite competitive spirit to succeed,’ she said.

Founded in 2007, Box Girls Kenya began with just two women aspiring to box. To date, the organization has trained and mentored over 4,000 girls in boxing and self-defense. The group also hopes to expand beyond boxing to include other sports and non-sport activities, empowering girls both inside and outside the ring.

Lyle Asiligwa, Director at DBA Africa, which partnered with SportPesa on the Tujiamini Initiative, acknowledged the immense talent among young women seeking advancement opportunities within the community.

Asiligwa noted, ‘The Nairobi region’s Tujiamini submissions displayed a high level of competitiveness, and Box Girls Kenya stood out as a key driver of sporting talent and positive change in the community. Their blend of amateur and professional boxing is proving to be high-yielding, and we look forward to seeing more exploits from the club.’

His comments underscore the importance of initiatives like Tujiamini in recognizing and promoting female-driven sporting projects, which are crucial to ensuring that women athletes in Kenya receive the attention and resources they need to thrive. 

As the Tujiamini Initiative, powered by SportPesa, moves to the South Rift region in September, young people especially young women, are encouraged to participate. With the initiative’s conclusion in November, this is a critical opportunity for aspiring athletes to gain valuable support and recognition.

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Upon arrival, Radull found Achieng going through a particularly challenging day. However, the atmosphere brightened as the two friends engaged in a lengthy conversation. Using her layman’s perspective, Radull gently encouraged Achieng to “clean up her act,” highlighting the ongoing struggle the former boxing champion faced.

Despite numerous attempts from various quarters to assist, a lasting solution to Achieng’s predicament remains elusive. Radul acknowledged the limitations of her capabilities in this regard.

Undeterred, Radul expressed her commitment to being supportive of Achieng. She plans to continue visiting when possible and stay in touch with Achieng’s family by calling her mother occasionally. Radul also encourages others in the Yala area to drop in and offer support, suggesting a simple act of kindness such as shopping for Achieng’s mother, who looks after her. 

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Semenya initially adhered to the policy, taking the prescribed medication for a period, but eventually halted, describing the experience as “torturous” for her body. This decision led to a legal confrontation with World Athletics, beginning in 2018 and culminating in three appeals, the latest of which she won in July. However, her triumph doesn’t guarantee a return to compete, as the European Court of Human Rights’ Grand Chamber referred the case.

The saga began in 2008 when Semenya gained attention for her outstanding performance at junior competitions. In the lead-up to the 2009 World Championships, she faced invasive gender tests at the request of World Athletics, sparking intense public scrutiny and questioning of her eligibility. Despite winning gold, her gender became the focal point, with leaked documents revealing “differences in sex development” (DSD). Semenya described this period as “hell,” navigating through humiliating tests and grappling with the revelation that she didn’t meet conventional gender expectations.

Hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels followed, causing Semenya to endure nausea, depression, and mental strain. Despite the hardships, she pressed on, fueled by the desire to be an Olympic champion. The suspension of World Athletics’ testosterone limit policy in 2015 provided her with a reprieve, allowing her to compete without hormone therapy for four years, during which she secured gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.However, in 2019, officials reinstated the rule, further reducing the allowed testosterone levels.

Semenya, drawing a line at the increasingly stringent regulations, refused to comply, prioritizing her well-being over further hormone suppression. Her legal victories have not compelled World Athletics to change its rules, with the organization emphasizing the protection of the integrity of the female category.

Undeterred, Semenya sees her ongoing battle as a mission to challenge the unjust regulations imposed on women’s bodies in sports.Despite uncertainties about the future, she stays resolute in her commitment to eliminate what she considers “nonsense” and to guarantee respect for women in sports.

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Kipyegon retained the world title leading the race from start to finish in 3:54:87. She finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji in 3.55.69 and  Sifan Hassan who took Bronze in 3.56.00.

Speaking after the race, Faith said

“As the world record holder and defending champion, you go to the front and control the race and just run your race. So I ran my race and it looked so easy. I was quickest through the 400m and knew going to the bell I had to push harder and harder. This win has motivated me a lot going (into the 5000m); I know everything is possible now.”

Faith made history as the first woman to seal a hat-trick of titles in the metric mile race. On June 2, the 2016 Olympic champion broke the women’s world 1500 m record of 3.50.07 set in Monaco on July 17 2015. Her achievement cemented her legacy as the Greatest Of All Time in women’s middle-distance running. 

Faith is the Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year 2021, and 2022. The long-distance runner also won gold medals in the 1500 m race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. During the World Athletics Championships, in 2017, 2022, and 2023, Faith also won a gold medal in the 1500m races. 

Later this week, Faith Kipyegon will bid to be the first woman to sweep the 5,000m and 1,500m during a one-world championship. 

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Twenty-five year old Moroccan Defender Nouhalia Benzina made history by becoming the first player to wear a hijab at the World Cup. Nouhalia played in the match that secured her team a 1-0 win over South Korea. 

 Assmaah Helal, the Muslim Women in Sports Network Co-founder, praised Benzina:

“Girls will look at Benzina [and think] ‘that could be me. Also, the policymakers, the decision-makers, and administrators will say, ‘We need to do more in our country to create these accepting and open and inclusive spaces for women and girls to participate in the game.”

Benzina’s admirable step shows her freedom to express her beliefs since twenty years ago hijabs were placed beyond a line in the sand. In 2014, Fifa authorized the wearing of head coverings for religious reasons. Previously it had banned the hijab on safety and health grounds, fearing possible choking. They later changed this before the Under-17 Women’s World Cup that was held in Jordan.

Nouhalia plays professionally as a defender for the Association’s Sports of Forces Armed Royal and Morocco Women’s National Team. She was included in the Moroccan national team squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The post MOROCCO’S DEFENDER NOUHALIA BENZINA BECOMES FIRST WOMAN TO WEAR HIJAB AT WORLD CUP  appeared first on Woman Kenya Network.

FIFA has tripled the prize money for the 2023 event to $US150 million as part of a three-step gender equality plan, while the “Football Unites the World” campaign will call for action on gender equality and ending violence against women. The messages will be promoted via digital and physical branding during the tournament.

The post WOMEN’S WORLD CUP, UN WOMEN AND FIFA JOIN FORCES FOR GENDER EQUALITY appeared first on Woman Kenya Network.

This marks Kipyegon’s third world record in two months, adding to her impressive list of achievements. She also set new records in the 1500m and 5000m earlier this season. Kipyegon was supported during the race by pacemakers Kristie Schofield and Winnie Nanyondo and exhibited impressive speed and endurance.

She expressed her satisfaction with the well-planned race and the breaking of the world record, solidifying her status as one of the most remarkable talents in the sport. Here are Ten Things You Should Know About Faith Kipyegon.

 Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon, born on 10 January 1994, is a remarkable Kenyan middle-distance runner specializing in the 1500 metres.

 She is a two-time back-to-back Olympic champion in the 1500m event, setting a Games record and becoming the second woman ever to win consecutive Olympic titles in this discipline.

 Faith is also a two-time world champion and the only woman to achieve four global 1500m titles, solidifying her place as one of the most dominant athletes in this event.

 Before her athletic career, Faith was a talented soccer player. However, she was introduced to athletics at school when she was just 14 years old, and the rest is history.

 In 2014, she clinched the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, and she has been a three-time Diamond League winner, showcasing her excellence and consistency on the track.

 Faith earned her first Diamond League 1500m title by triumphing in three races held in Shanghai, USA’s Eugene, and Brussels.

 The highlight of her career in 2017 was claiming first place at the London World Championships, making her just the third woman in history to win both the Olympic and World Championships 1500m races.

 Despite taking a break for the birth of her first child in 2018, Faith Kipyegon made an incredible comeback in June 2019, winning her signature event with an impressive time of 3:59:04 at the Prefontaine Classic in Palo Alto.

 Faith’s journey in athletics began in 2010 when she debuted in the World Cross Country Championships women’s junior race, showcasing her immense talent and determination from a young age.

 Recognizing her impact and influence, Faith Kipyegon was honored as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2017, a testament to her inspiring achievements both on and off the track.

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