Kenyan Tennis star Angella Okutoyi was thrust into the limelight after her stellar performances in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior competitions.
She made history after becoming the first-ever Kenyan to play and win in a Grand Slam doubles final at the iconic Wimbledon in London.
Before her historic win in Wimbledon, Okutoyi had registered impressive results in the ITF junior competitions.
Her rise to the pinnacle of the sport was a story of inspiration and defying the odds considering her background and upbringing.
Okutoyi and her twin sister, Roselinda Aumwa, were raised by their grandmother in a convent after the death of their mother at birth.
They lived in a servants' quarter at the convent, where the grandmother was employed as a cook.
However, her grandmother gave them to a children’s home, where they spent seven months.
They later reunited with their grandmother, who helped them enrol at Mbagathi Primary School.
It was at Mbagathi Primary, that Okutoyi was introduced to tennis through her coach Joe Karanja.
The young girl went on to exhibit her talent in the sport and consequently earned the approval of her coach.
She was often given an opportunity to train with her seniors beyond her category.
At the age of 10, Okutoyi joined the ITF East Africa Regional Training Centre in Burundi to officially commence her career.
However, she was forced to cut short her stint after clashes emerged in the East African nation. She returned to Nairobi and joined the ITF Training centre in Nairobi.
To add icing on her remarkable breakthrough story, Okutoyi earned a fully paid partnership at Auburn University in the United States.
When asked about her decision to choose the university out of the many options available, Okutoyi noted that the facilities had a reputation for nurturing prominent sportsmen. As such, she was convinced it would steer her to greater heights.
Here is the full list of Top 100 Kenyans 2022.
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