In Summary
- Incredible women shining on the football pitch to the little-known world of Fencing
- Meet Ashley Ongong’a Kenya’s first female cross-country skier
- Conjestina’s Journey of Resilience
As the world marks International Women’s Day which is celebrated annually on March 8, we take a walk through the world of Sports highlighting a few women who have made and still shining in the world of sports.
From the football pitch, athletics to the little-known world of Fencing.
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Faith Kipyegon
A book or a chapter will be written if a story was to be told of women’s middle-distance running .
The Kenyan athletics superstar is the first woman to win four 1500m titles at the Track and Field World Championships.
Kipyegon is the current world record holder for the 1,500 metres and mile, both set in 2023, and the former world record holder for the 5,000 metres.
An uplifting story of a young girl who used to run barefoot in primary school.
Kipyegon’s breakthrough was winning the 2011 World Cross Country junior race.
Her senior course took off after the London 2012 Games.
Kipyegon won a gold medal each at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 1,500 m. She also won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the 2017, 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships and in the 5,000 m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Marjolene Nekesa
Kenyan international striker Marjolene Nekesa concluded 2023 in 22nd place among female goal-scorers worldwide.
Her incredible journey to becoming a standout goal scorer started when she joined the eight-time Czech League champions as a free agent, following a stellar campaign with Belarusian side FC Minsk.
Nekesa grew up in Kitale, attended Butere Girls High School before moving to the United States to attend Oklahoma Wesleyan University, where she majored in sports management and scored 25 goals as a freshman
Nekesa’s magic on the pitch saw her finish seven places below Nigeria forward Asisat Oshoala, who turns out for FC Barcelona in Spain.
Marjolene Nekesa emulates Harambee Starlets striker Michael Olunga:cfa
READ also:Kenya’s Marjolene Nekesa ranked 9th top Goal scorer globally
Ashley Ongong’a
Born in Italy and holding dual Kenyan and Italian citizenship, Ongong’a made the decision to represent Kenya on the international stage.
She made history as she secured her place as a trailblazer qualifying to represent Kenya at the Winter Youth Olympics at the beginning of 2024 (Gangwon 2024)
Ongong’a began competing at regional and national events as a child, and by the time she was 10, was already topping Italian age group competitions, charting a path towards her dream.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) revealed that she placed based on her International Ski Federation (FIS) ranking in the women’s Youth Olympic Games quota allocation lists as of December 18.
This remarkable achievement sees Ongong’a go down as the first African and first Kenyan female cross-country skier to secure a spot at the Winter Youth Olympics.
Ongong’a has been skiing since she was a young child. But unlike many cross-country skiers, her passion for loving the cold wasn’t passed on to her by her family.
The first time she tried skiing at the age of four, and a year later when she first dreamt of competing at the Olympics.
Beldine Odemba
Beldine Odemba is a familiar name among football fans as the incredible woman behind Harambee starlets
Besides coaching Harambee starlets she juggles other teams including Rising Starlets, also guides Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) side Kenya Police Bullets and Highway Secondary School team.
Odemba helped the Starlets defeat Cameroon and advance to the second and final round of the 2024 Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifications by defeating them 4-3 in a post-match shootout of the rematch played at Nyayo N+ational Stadium on September 26
Odemba holds a CAF “B” coaching license.
READ also:Starlets Head Coach Beldine Odemba names Squad to face Cameroon
Alexandra Ndolo
Since 2020, Kenya has been an official member association of the World Fencing Federation (FIE) and was represented for the first time at the 2022 World Championships in Cairo by Isaac Wanyoike.
Alexandra Ndolo a German-born left-handed épée fencer said her biggest win was seeing Wanyoike flying the Kenyan flag at an international competition.
She represented Germany for 15 years before switching allegiance to Kenya in 2022
Ndolo was born in Bayreuth, Northern Bavaria, Germany, and her father was from Kenya.
She has had instances where She has blasted the Kenya Fencing Federation for lack of adequate support.
Ndolo is a founding member of the National fencing federation and has helped start a training centre in Huruma, where she constantly donates the expensive fencing equipment to see to it that more kids can embrace the game.
READ Also:Kenyan Fencer Alexandra Ndolo Puts Sports Ministry On The Spot Over Lack Of Support
Congestina Achieng
Despite the current challenges facing Kenya’s Africa middleweight professional boxing champion Congestina Achieng’ ,She gave Kenyans the most amazing boxing matches to watch
The 5’10” Kenyan middleweight was born in Umiru in the Slaya District of Kenya.
Conjestina Achieng came into the limelight as one of Kenya’s most talented female boxers.
Achieng earned the nickname Hands of Stone. She became the first African woman to hold an international title. She beat Ugandan Fiona Tugume to take the vacant WIBF Middleweight title.
Conjestina’s Mental Health Issues
She was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder.
In January 2011 her father called on Kenyans to help him take her to hospital
She was admitted to the Mathare mental hospital but was later released.
In September 2022 the boxing champion was admitted to Mombasa Women Empowerment Network Hospital in Miritini.
She is still under treatment with the whole nation rallying behing her awaiting her mega comeback.
Her heroic spirit in boxing has greatly served as a motivation to women who desire to be boxers
