Purity Chepkirui opens up about her struggles transitioning to senior level athletics, her ambitions for 2025, and her journey to success.
Sometimes, transitioning from junior to senior athletics is a tough mountain to climb, and for Kenya’s Purity Chepkirui, the journey has been anything but smooth.
The 21-year-old middle-distance runner, who once dominated the junior ranks, has found herself grappling with stiffer competition and greater challenges at the senior level.
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Chepkirui, who made a name for herself by winning the women’s 1500m at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi, has been battling to establish herself among the best in the senior category.
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While she boasts a gold medal from the 2023 World Cross Country Championships mixed relay, her journey in individual races has been less smooth.
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Despite the hurdles, Chepkirui remains optimistic as the youngster admits that while adapting has been tough, her confidence and the unwavering support from her coach have played a crucial role in keeping her going.
“Adapting to the senior ranks has not been an easy thing but what has worked for me has been my confidence. Also, I thank God for my coach because he has consistently encouraged me to give my best and not to be afraid of other competitors in the senior ranks,” she said as per Capital Sports.
Chepkirui first broke onto the global stage in 2021 when she clocked 4:16.07 to win the women’s 1500m at the World Under-20 Championships.
She followed it up with a bronze medal in the same event at the 2022 edition in Cali, Colombia, where she improved her time to 4:07.64.
However, her senior debut has presented fresh challenges. She competed at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest but failed to progress beyond the heats after finishing seventh in 4:04.51.
She also missed out on the Kenyan team for the Paris Olympics, further underscoring the difficulty of transitioning to the elite level.
But Chepkirui is not giving up. With a renewed sense of determination, she has set her sights on the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
“My ultimate focus is to make the team for the Tokyo World Championships. I will be working closely with my coach to ensure I am better prepared for the national trials,” she stated.
The promising athlete recently showcased her resilience at the National Cross Country Championships in Eldoret, where she triumphed in the women’s 2km loop. She clocked an impressive 7:01.6, finishing ahead of 2022 African 5000m champion Caroline Nyaga (7:04.3) and African 800m silver medalist Lillian Odira (7:08.2).
Chepkirui’s passion for athletics dates back to 2018 when she was in standard six. Her school’s headmaster, Mr. Siele, introduced athletics alongside handball, a sport in which the school excelled. From that moment, her journey in running began.
Although she was selected for the Africa Cross Country Championships team twice—in 2020 and 2021—both events were canceled, first due to COVID-19 and later for other logistical reasons. These setbacks, however, only fueled her determination to succeed on the big stage.
