Kenyan-Born Runner Norah Jeruto to Pocket Sh30 Million for Winning Gold for Kazakhstan at World Championships
Kenyan-born athlete Norah Jeruto is set to pocket millions of shillings after winning a gold medal for Kazakhstan at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA on Wednesday.
Jeruto clocked 8:53.02, the third-fastest time in history and a championship record, to clinch gold in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase ahead of Ethiopian duo Werkuha Getachew and Mekides Abebe, who claimed silver and bronze in 8:54.61 and 8:56.08 respectively.
Nation reports that the Kazakhstan government will pay Jeruto €250,000 (about Sh30.5 million) through its award scheme for excelling athletes.
The amount is roughly 30 times the Sh1 million a Kenyan athlete receives from the government for winning a gold medal in global competitions such as the world championships and Olympics.
“It has been a journey of hard work and Jeruto winning a gold medal the first one in history for Kazakhstan is something I’m proud of,” Jeruto’s coach Kenneth Rotich said.
Jeruto was the second Kenyan-born athlete to win a medal for another country in the ongoing World Championships after Lonah Chemtai Salpeter clinched bronze for Israel in the women’s marathon on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old was among four Kenyan-born athletes who switched their international allegiance to Kazakhstan early this year. She was granted Kazakhstan citizenship alongside Daisy Jepkemei, Shadrack Koech, and Caroline Chepkoech after the World Athletics approved their request to represent the Central Asian country at the international level.
Rule 1.4.2 of the World Athletics Charter states that athletes who gain new citizenship or wish to change their status can do so if three years have passed since they competed for their country.
Other Kenya-born athletes who have represented their adopted countries in Eugene include Americans Jonah Koech (800m), Elkanah Kibet (marathon), Hillary Bor, and Benard Keter (3,000m steeplechase), and Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli (10,000m).