Emmanuel Wanyonyi's story depicts the proverbial grass to grace story from a herdsboy to a reknowned athlete flying the country's flag high in global sports events.
Isn't it amazing that the young athlete rose to fame at only 17 years of age ? How did this come to be for the former herdsboy?
Born on August 1, 2004, Wanyonyi came from a poor background where he was forced to drop out of school in class three. This decision came as a result of needing to tend to cattle to earn a living.
In what appeared to be a sad ending to his story, a good samaritan, however, sought to save him from obscurity seven years later.
The samaritan offered to pay his education and enrolled him back in school. After completing his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), he joined Kosirai Secondary School in Nandi County.
Developing a knack for running, Wanyonyi would engage in 3,000 metres, 400 metres and 200 metres steeplechase at the school games. This ultimately led to his enrollment in the athletics programme by his teachers.
The good samaritan, in a past interview, noted how the young athlete always scooped first position in school games at county level and county championships.
His teachers enrolled him at the Janet Jepkosegi's Kapchemoiywo training camp during school holidays, in order to hone his craft. The camp is headed by former 800 metres champion, Jepkosgei.
Currently, he has participated in multiple under 20 championships, scooping two gold medals, two silver and one bronze.
During the recent World Under-20 Championships held at Moi, Kasarani, Wanyonyi set a record time of 1:43.76 seconds.
According to a spot-check on sports sites, Gold medalists receive an average of Ksh500,000, while silver medalists walk away with Ksh300,000 and Bronze medalists scoop Ksh200,000.
"My journey to become an 800m star has begun. I want to break the world record held by veteran athlete David Rudisha. He has been my inspiration," Wanyonyi stated during a past interview.
The athlete has also been nominated for the World Athletics Male Rising Star Award slated for December1, 2021.
