Stella Rutto

Last updated

Stella Rutto
Personal information
Full nameStella Jepkosgei Rutto [1]
Nationality Flag of Kenya.svg   Kenya (until 21 February 2022)
Flag of Romania.svg   Romania
Born12 December 1996 (1996-12-12) (age 28) [1]
Kenya
Height156 cm (5 ft 1 in) [1]
Weight53 kg (117 lb) [1]
Sport
Sport Sport of athletics
Event(s) 3000 metres steeplechase
Half marathon
Achievements and titles
National finals
Personal bests
  • 3000mSC : 9:25.31 (2024)
  • HM : 1:07:45 (2021)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya
World U20 Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 Barcelona 3000 m s'chase
African U18 Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Warri 2000 m s'chase
African U20 Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 Addis Ababa 3000 m s'chase
Balkan Championships
Disqualified 2020 Cluj-Napoca 3000 m s'chase
Disqualified 2020 Cluj-Napoca 5000 m
Updated on 4 April 2024

Stella Jepkosgei Rutto (born 12 December 1996) is a Kenyan-Romanian steeplechase runner. Representing Kenya, she won a bronze medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2012 World U20 Championships. On 21 February 2022, she changed her international allegiance from Kenya to Romania. [1]

Contents

Career

Rutto began competing as early as 2012, finishing runner-up at the Kenyan U20 Championships and winning a bronze medal at the 2012 World U20 Championships at age 15. [2] Rutto said after the competition, "I started too late in the last lap to fight for the silver [...] I am happy for Daisy and to obtain this second medal for my country, even if it is only the bronze medal." [3]

At the 2013 African U18 Championships, Rutto won a silver medal in the 2000 metres steeplechase, losing only to countrywoman Daisy Jepkemei who had beat her in 2012 as well. [4] Two years later, Rutto won her last age-group medal at the 2015 African U20 Championships, winning the 3000 m steeplechase and helping Kenya place 5th in the medal standings. [5]

In 2019, Rutto first competed in Romania, winning the Romanian International Championships steeplechase and 5000 metres as well as placing 7th in that year's Kenyan Athletics Championships steeple. [1] After winning the 2020 Romanian Athletics Championships in the 5000 m and steeplechase, she won the same two events at the 2020 Balkan Athletics Championships but was later disqualified as she had not yet been cleared to represent Romania internationally. [1] [6]

Competing as a foreign national, Rutto won the 2021 Turkish Athletics Championships steeplechase and ran several half marathons in Turkey that year, debuting at 1:07:45 to win the Trabzon Half Marathon. [1] In May 2021 Rutto became a Romanian citizen. [7] On 21 February 2022, Rutto was cleared by World Athletics to represent Romania in international competitions. [2] She finished 8th at the 2024 Diamond League Shanghai in the steeplechase. [1]

Personal life

Born on 12 December 1996 and originally from Kenya, Rutto first competed in Romania in 2019. [2] Despite competing at Romanian and Turkish national championships, she was not officially cleared to represent Romania until 2022. [2]

Statistics

Personal best progression

3000m Steeplechase progression
#MarkPl.CompetitionVenueDateRef.
110:07.4Silver medal icon.svgKenyan U20 Championships Nairobi, Kenya 8 Jun 2012 [2]
210:07.13Silver medal icon.svg(Heat 1) 2012 World U20 Championships in Athletics Barcelona, Spain 10 Jul 2012 [2]
39:50.58Bronze medal icon.svg 2012 World U20 Championships in Athletics Barcelona, Spain 12 Jul 2012 [2]
49:49.09Bronze medal icon.svg(Heat 1) Kenyan Athletics Championships Nairobi, Kenya 9 Jul 2015 [2]
59:44.07Gold medal icon.svgRomanian International Championships Cluj-Napoca, Romania 6 Jun 2019 [8]
69:32.90Gold medal icon.svg Romanian Athletics Championships Cluj-Napoca, Romania 3 Sep 2020 [9]
79:25.318th Yangtze Delta Athletics Diamond Gala Suzhou, China 26 Apr 2024 [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Stella Rutto at Tilastopaja (registration required)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stella Rutto at World Athletics OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  3. "Marks Fall In Steeplechase Final, WIlson Gets Gold At World Junior Championships - RRW". RunnerSpace .
  4. "World Youth champion Chepng'etich eyes the double in Eugene". Nation. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  5. "5000m double for hosts Ethiopia at African Junior Championships | REPORT | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  6. "Balkan Championships". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  7. "Kenyencele Joan Chelimo, Stella Ruto și Delvine Meringor au primit cetățenia română. Două dintre ele au baremul pentru JO Tokyo la maraton". Click mobile.
  8. "Athletics recap for meeting #12931896" . Tilastopaja .
  9. "Athletics recap for meeting #12970044" . Tilastopaja .
  10. "Athletics recap for meeting #13066526" . Tilastopaja .