Margaret Okayo

Last updated
Margaret Okayo
Margaret Okayo London 2005.jpg
Okayo running in the 2005 London Marathon
Personal information
Born (1976-05-30) 30 May 1976 (age 47)
Masaba, Kisii District, Kenya
Height1.51 m (4 ft 11 in)
Sport
Country Kenya
Sport Athletics
Event(s) Marathon
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)2:22:35 (London 2004)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
World Marathon Majors
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2001 New York City Marathon
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Boston Marathon
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2003 New York City Marathon
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2004 London Marathon
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1999 Chicago Marathon
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2000 New York City Marathon

Margaret Okayo (born 30 May 1976) is a professional Kenyan marathon runner. She has won four World Marathon Majors with victories in the New York City Marathon (two times), the Boston Marathon and the London Marathon, setting three course records. Okayo's 2003 New York course record of 2:22:31 still stands today, despite the challenge of some of the world’s best distance runners having the benefit of improved shoe technology. [1] She has also won the San Diego Marathon on two occasions.

Contents

Biography

Margaret Okayo started running while at primary school. She graduated from the Itierio Secondary School, located near Kisii town, in 1993. She was recruited by Kenya Prisons Service, home to the country's top women's marathon runners, in 1995 where she nurtured her running career. [2]

At the 1998 Commonwealth Games she finished fifth in 10,000 metres. She finished thirteenth at the 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

Amongst her most successful races are the wins at the New York Marathon in 2001 and 2003, the Boston Marathon in 2002 and the London Marathon in 2004. She still holds the course records at the New York Marathon and the Boston Marathon.

Other marathons won by Okayo include Milan in 2003, San Diego in 2000 and 2001. She represented her native Kenya in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, but did not finish the marathon. She spends three months of every year training in Italy.

She won the 2003 Udine Half Marathon and finished third at the 2008 Rome-Ostia Half Marathon. [3] [4]

Okayo is of the Gusii tribe. She is managed by Federico Rosa and coached by Gabriele Rosa.

Achievements

Representing Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventTime
1999 Chicago Marathon Chicago, IL, United States2nd2:26:00
2000 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, CA, United States1st2:27:05
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States3rd2:26:36
2001 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, CA, United States1st2:25:05
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States1st2:24:21
2002 Boston Marathon Boston, MA, United States1st2:20:43
Milan Marathon Milan, Italy1st2:24:59
2003 Boston Marathon Boston, MA, United States4th2:27:39
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States1st2:22:31
2004 London Marathon London, United Kingdom1st2:22:35
Olympic Games Athens, Greece DNF
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States4th2:26:31
2005 London Marathon London, United Kingdom4th2:25:22
2006 London Marathon London, United Kingdom9th2:29:16

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References

  1. Turnbull, Simon (16 April 2023). "Ndereba and Okayo – the marathon greats who blazed a trail for Kenyan women". World Athletics . Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. "Kenya: Athletics - Prisons Staff Line Up for National Meet". Daily Nation . AllAfrica. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  3. "Italian road race season off to flying start with Bekele and Okayo". IAAF. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  4. "Women's course record goes at Rome-Ostia Half Marathon with 1:09 run". IAAF. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 9 May 2016.