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Margaret Okayo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Margaret Okayo
Okayo running in the 2005 London Marathon
Personal information
Born (1976-05-30) 30 May 1976 (age 48)
Masaba, Kisii District, Kenya
Height1.51 m (4 ft 11 in)
Sport
CountryKenya
SportAthletics
EventMarathon
Achievements and titles
Personal best2:22:35 (London 2004)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  Kenya
World Marathon Majors
Gold medal – first place 2001 New York City Marathon
Gold medal – first place 2002 Boston Marathon
Gold medal – first place 2003 New York City Marathon
Gold medal – first place 2004 London Marathon
Silver medal – second place 1999 Chicago Marathon
Bronze medal – third place 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.

Biography

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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

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  • All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing  Kenya
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
1999 Chicago Marathon Chicago, IL, United States 2nd 2:26:00
2000 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, CA, United States 1st 2:27:05
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States 3rd 2:26:36
2001 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon San Diego, CA, United States 1st 2:25:05
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st 2:24:21
2002 Boston Marathon Boston, MA, United States 1st 2:20:43
Milan Marathon Milan, Italy 1st 2:24:59
2003 Boston Marathon Boston, MA, United States 4th 2:27:39
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States 1st 2:22:31
2004 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st 2:22:35
Olympic Games Athens, Greece DNF
New York City Marathon New York, NY, United States 4th 2:26:31
2005 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 4th 2:25:22
2006 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 9th 2:29:16

References

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  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.
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