Hellen Chepngeno
Encyclopedia
Hellen Chepngeno is a retired athlete from Kenya
best known for winning gold at the 1994 World Cross Country Championships
She started her career while at Kitopen Primary School. She finished 2nd at the Kenyan cross-country championships in 1991 behind Tegla Loroupe
. Chepngeno was selected to compete at the 1991 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
in Antwerp, Belgium
, but finished only 46th.
In 1992 she won the Kenyan trails for the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
. She finished 15th at the World Cross Country Championships held in Boston
, USA and was part of the Kenyan gold-medal winning team.
She did not make the Kenyan team for the 1993 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, but won a bronze medal at the 1993 African Championships
The 1994 World Cross Country Championships were held in Budapest
, Hungary
where she became the first Kenyan woman to win individual World Cross Country Championships gold medal.
Later she suffered from injuries and was not able to repeat her earlier success. She was still competing in 1999.
During her running career, she was a corporal in the Kenya Prisons, which is famous for recruiting promising Kenyan athletes. Before starting running, she took High jump
and javelin throw
.
She keeps a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) plot in Kitopen bought with her prize money. She is not married, but has two sons, one of them was four years old in 1994.
She remained the only Kenyan national to win the long race at the World Cross Country Championships, until 2009 when Florence Kiplagat
won the race.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
best known for winning gold at the 1994 World Cross Country Championships
1994 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 22nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 26, 1994 in Budapest, Hungary.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
She started her career while at Kitopen Primary School. She finished 2nd at the Kenyan cross-country championships in 1991 behind Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Chepkite Loroupe is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education....
. Chepngeno was selected to compete at the 1991 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1991 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 19th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 24, 1991 in Antwerp, Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**- References :...
in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, but finished only 46th.
In 1992 she won the Kenyan trails for the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**...
. She finished 15th at the World Cross Country Championships held in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, USA and was part of the Kenyan gold-medal winning team.
She did not make the Kenyan team for the 1993 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, but won a bronze medal at the 1993 African Championships
1993 African Championships in Athletics
The 9th African Championships in Athletics were held between 23 and 27 June 1993 in Durban, South Africa.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics...
The 1994 World Cross Country Championships were held in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
where she became the first Kenyan woman to win individual World Cross Country Championships gold medal.
Later she suffered from injuries and was not able to repeat her earlier success. She was still competing in 1999.
During her running career, she was a corporal in the Kenya Prisons, which is famous for recruiting promising Kenyan athletes. Before starting running, she took High jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
and javelin throw
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
.
She keeps a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) plot in Kitopen bought with her prize money. She is not married, but has two sons, one of them was four years old in 1994.
She remained the only Kenyan national to win the long race at the World Cross Country Championships, until 2009 when Florence Kiplagat
Florence Kiplagat
Florence Jebet Kiplagat is a Kenyan long-distance runner. She is a two-time world champion having won at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships....
won the race.
Achievements
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result | Extra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | World Cross Country Championships 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 20th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 21, 1992 in Boston, United States.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
15th | Long race |
| 1st | Team | |||
| 1993 | African Championships 1993 African Championships in Athletics The 9th African Championships in Athletics were held between 23 and 27 June 1993 in Durban, South Africa.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics... |
Durban Durban Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
3rd | 3000 m |
| 1994 | World Cross Country Championships 1994 IAAF World Cross Country Championships The 22nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held on March 26, 1994 in Budapest, Hungary.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- External links :**... |
Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... , Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... |
1st | Long race |
| 3rd | Team |