Kenya has competed at every edition of the World Athletics Championships since its inception in 1983. It has won the second highest number of gold medals at the championships (after the United States) and also has the second highest medals total (after the U.S.).

The vast majority of its medals have come in middle- and long-distance running events, mostly on the men's side. It ranks fourth on all-time placing tables at the competition, reflecting its narrow event focus. The nation typically sends medium-sized delegations of 40–50 athletes. Kenya ranked number one on gold medals at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics and has finished in the top five nations on the medal table at all but five editions.

The country's most successful athlete at the competition is Faith Kipyegon, who has won five gold medals and three silver medals in the women's 1500 metres and 5000 metres. Kenya's most successful man, Ezekiel Kemboi has won four gold medals and three silver medals in the 3000 metres steeplechase. Vivian Cheruiyot, has also won four gold medals and also a silver in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events. Men's steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui won three straight titles from 1991 to 1995 and Asbel Kiprop achieved the same feat in the 1500 metres from 2011 to 2015. Julius Yego is the country's only field event medallist, having won the men's javelin throw in 2015.

Former Kenyans have also had impacts for other nations at the championships, including 2007's double champion Bernard Lagat (United States), two-time steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) and marathon winner Rose Chelimo (Bahrain).

Medal table Championships Men Women Total Gold Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Gold Silver Bronze Total Rank Athletes 1983 Helsinki 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1987 Rome 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 5 1991 Tokyo 4 3 0 0 0 1 4 3 1 8 4 1993 Stuttgart 3 3 3 0 0 1 3 3 4 10 4 1995 Gothenburg 2 1 2 0 0 1 2 1 3 6 6 1997 Athens 2 2 2 1 0 0 3 2 2 7 4 1999 Seville 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 4 1 6 13 2001 Edmonton 3 3 2 0 0 0 3 3 2 8 3 2003 Paris 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 4 7 2005 Helsinki 1 1 3 0 1 1 1 2 4 7 9 2007 Osaka 3 2 3 2 1 2 5 3 5 13 2 2009 Berlin 2 3 1 2 3 0 4 6 1 11 3 43 2011 Daegu 4 3 0 3 5 3 7 8 3 18 2 47 2013 Moscow 2 1 2 3 3 1 5 4 3 12 4 49 2015 Beijing 5 4 2 2 2 1 7 6 3 16 1 52 2017 London 3 1 2 2 1 2 5 2 4 11 2 50 2019 Doha 2 0 3 3 2 1 5 2 4 11 2 42 2022 Eugene 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 5 3 10 4 44 2023 Budapest 0 2 2 3 1 2 3 3 4 10 5 52 2025 Tokyo 1 0 2 6 2 0 7 2 2 11 2 62 2027 Beijing To be determined 2029 Nairobi 2031 Munich Total 43 36 30 29 24 20 72 60 50 182 2

Medalists

Athlete Gold Silver Bronze Total Years Faith Kipyegon 5 3 0 8 2015–2025 Ezekiel Kemboi 4 3 0 7 2003–2015 Vivian Cheruiyot 4 1 0 5 2007–2015 Moses Kiptanui 3 1 0 4 1991–1997 Asbel Kiprop 3 0 0 3 2011–2015 Conseslus Kipruto 2 2 1 5 2013–2022 Hellen Onsando Obiri 2 1 1 4 2013–2022 Beatrice Chebet 2 1 1 4 2022–2025 Catherine Ndereba 2 1 0 3 2003–2007 Edna Kiplagat 2 1 0 3 2011–2017 Billy Konchellah 2 0 1 3 1987–1993 Ismael Kirui 2 0 0 2 1993–1995 Abel Kirui 2 0 0 2 2009–2011 David Rudisha 2 0 0 2 2011–2015 Janeth Jepkosgei 1 2 0 3 2007–2011 Milcah Cheywa 1 2 0 3 2009–2013 Brimin Kiprop Kipruto 1 1 2 4 2005–2015 Moses Tanui 1 1 0 2 1991–1993 Christopher Koskei 1 1 0 2 1995–1999 Wilson Boit Kipketer 1 1 0 2 1997–1999 Benjamin Limo 1 1 0 2 1999–2005 Eliud Kipchoge 1 1 0 2 2003–2007 Alfred Kirwa Yego 1 1 0 2 2007–2009 Elijah Manangoi 1 1 0 2 2015–2017 Timothy Cheruiyot 1 1 0 2 2015–2019 Beatrice Chepkoech 1 1 0 2 2019–2023 Emmanuel Wanyonyi 1 1 0 2 2023–2025 Sally Barsosio 1 0 1 2 1993–1997 Linet Masai 1 0 1 2 2009–2011 Eunice Jepkoech Sum 1 0 1 2 2013–2015 Hyvin Jepkemoi 1 0 1 2 2015–2017 Mary Moraa 1 0 1 2 2022–2023 Faith Cherotich 1 0 1 2 2023–2025

Doping Compared to other successful nations, such as the United States and Russia, Kenya's athletes have been largely unaffected by doping failures at the competition. The nation's first failures at the championships occurred in 2015, neither of whom were finalists.

YearAthleteEventNotes2015 Francisca Koki Women's 400 m hurdles Heats only2015 Joy Sakari Women's 400 m Semi-finalist

References

IAAF Statistics Book – IAAF World Championships London 2017 Kenya at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics