| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Janeth Jepkosgei during 2010 Memorial Van Damme |
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| Women's Athletics | ||
| Competitor for Kenya | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Silver | 2008 Beijing | 800 m |
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2007 Osaka | 800 m |
| Silver | 2009 Berlin | 800 m |
| Bronze | 2011 Daegu | 800 m |
| Continental Cup | ||
| Gold | 2010 Split | 800 m |
| Silver | 2006 Athens | 800 m |
| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Gold | 2006 Melbourne | 800 m |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2002 Kingston | 800 m |
Janeth Jepkosgei (born December 13, 1983) is a Kenyan middle distance runner and world champion.
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Janeth, nicknamed "Eldoret Express" is from Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet. Famous athletes Wilson Kipketer and Wilfred Bungei are also from the same village.[1] She started athletics while at Kapsumbeiywo Primary School and took several events. Since 1998 she attended Sing’ore Girls High School near Iten, famous for producing Kenyan women athletes. She won national secondary school championship in heptahlon while still at form one.[2] Her specialty at the time was actually 400 metres hurdles. She attended the Kenyan trials for 1999 World Youth Championships, but as 400 m hurdles was not competed at the trials, she opted to take part in 800 metres. She finished second and was selected for the Kenyan team, but failed to reach the final of 800 metres competition in World Youth Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland.[3]
In 2000 she won two gold medals at national secondary school championships, the events were 400 metres hurdles and 800 metres. At the East Africa Youth Championships held in the same year she won 400 metres hurdles while at 800 metres she finished second.[2]
She joined IOC-sponsored High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret in 2001. She was then coached by 1988 olympic gold medalist Paul Ereng.[4] The same year, she took 800 metres silver medal at the African Junior Championships, and the next year she took 800 metres gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.[3]
She took part at the 2003 All-Africa Games, but failed to reach the 800 metres final. In 2004 she won Kenyan Olympic trials at 800 metres but was not selected since she failed to beat qualifying time. The history repeated itself in 2005, when she won 800 metres at national trials, but did not secure an "A"-qualifying time. She did beat the "B"-qualifying time, but Athletics Kenya did not sent her or any other Kenyan 800 metres female runner to represent Kenya at the world championships.[3]
Her breakthrough year was 2006. On March 24, 2006 she won the women's 800 metres event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games with a time of 1 minute, 57.88 seconds. She managed to beat veteran runner Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique. Later same year she won African Championships in Athletics at the 800 metres event. She also beat Kenyan 800 metres women's record twice. Jepkosgei was awarded the 2006 Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year award.[5]
Jepkosgei made Kenyan History on the 28th August 2007, where she won Gold in the World Championship 800 m Final in Osaka, becoming the first female Kenyan Middle Distance runner to achieve Gold over 800 m. She led from start to finish to win in a time of 1 minute, 56.04 seconds, beating Kenyan record and world leading time (1.56,18) she had set at the heats two days earlier. She retained the Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year award.[6]
On May 24, 2008 the 19-year old Pamela Jelimo set a new Kenyan record of 1:55.76, beating the one previously held by Jepkosgei.[7] Jelimo's dominance throughout the season prevented Jepkosgei from major victories, but won Olympic silver medal over 800 metres
She collided with Caster Semenya of South Africa such that Jepkosgei fell and finished last in her heat at the 2009 World Championships. However, after a successful protest, she was allowed to run in the semifinals [8] and eventually achieved silver medal, well behind the winner Semenya.
Jepkosgei started her 2010 season by a win at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China [9]
Her father Michael Busienei was an 800 metres runner, as is her younger brother Dennis Kiprotich [10]
She is now coached by Claudio Berardelli. Her manager is Federico Rosa.[2]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Kenya | ||||
| 2002 | World Junior Championships | Kingston, Jamaica | 1st | 800 m |
| 2006 | Commonwealth Games | Melbourne, Australia | 1st | 800 m |
| African Championships | Bambous, Mauritius | 1st | 800 m | |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 2nd | 800 m | |
| IAAF World Cup | Athens, Greece | 2nd | 800 m | |
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 1st | 800 m |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 1st | 800 m | |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 2nd | 800 m |
| World Athletics Final | Stuttgart, Germany | 2nd | 800 m | |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 2nd | 800 m |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 3rd | 800 m |
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