Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei (born 13 December 1983) is a Kenyan middle distance runner and former world champion.
Early career Janeth, nicknamed "Eldoret Express" is from the Kenyan village of Kabirirsang, near Kapsabet. Famous athletes Wilson Kipketer and Wilfred Bungei are also from the same village.The Standard, 2 April 2006: Sleepy village that produces track stars 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 heptathlon, while still at form one.IAAF: 28 August 2007: Focus on athletes Her record from that event still stood in 2012. Her speciality at the time was actually 400 m 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 m. She finished second and was selected for the Kenyan team, but failed to reach the final of 800 m competition in World Youth Championships held in Bydgoszcz, Poland.IAAF, 23 October 2007: Jepkosgei's Beijing target – first Kenyan women's middle distance Olympic gold
In 2000 Jepkosgei won two gold medals at national secondary school championships, the events were 400 m hurdles and 800 m. At the East Africa Youth Championships held in the same year she won 400 m hurdles, while at 800 m she finished second.
She joined IOC-sponsored High Performance Training Centre in Eldoret in 2001. She was then coached by 1988 olympic gold medalist Paul Ereng.Daily Nation, 25 December 2007: How Jepkosgei made us proud The same year, she took 800 m silver medal at the African Junior Championships, and the next year she took 800 m gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.
Janeth Jepkosgei took part at the 2003 All-Africa Games, but failed to reach the 800 m final. In 2004, she won Kenyan Olympic trials at 800 m, but was not selected since she failed to beat qualifying time. The history repeated itself in 2005, when she won 800 m at national trials, but did not secure an "A"-qualifying time. She did beat the "B"-qualifying time, but Athletics Kenya did not send her or any other Kenyan 800 m female runner to represent Kenya at the world championships.
Reaching global top Her breakthrough year was 2006. On 24 March 2006 she won the women's 800 m 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 that same year she won African Championships in Athletics at the 800 m event. She also broke the Kenyan 800 m women's record twice. Jepkosgei was awarded the 2006 Kenyan Sportswoman of the Year award.The Standard 23 February 2007 Kipchirchir, Jepkosgei named Soya winners
Jepkosgei made Kenyan History on 28 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 the 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.
On 24 May 2008 the 19-year-old Pamela Jelimo set a new Kenyan record of 1:55.76, beating the one previously held by Jepkosgei.Daily Nation, 26 May 2008: Jelimo sets new world junior record Jelimo's dominance throughout the season prevented Jepkosgei from major victories, but won Olympic silver medal over 800 m.
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 semi-finalsEarth Times, 16 August 2009: Appeals: Jepkosgei advances; Taylor out for good – Summary 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.IAAF: 2010 Diamond league – Shanghai – Women's 800m results
Her father Michael Busienei was an 800 m runner, as is her younger brother Dennis Kiprotich.
Jepkosgei is now coached by Claudio Berardelli. Her manager is Federico Rosa.
Achievements Representing 2002World Junior ChampionshipsKingston, Jamaica1st800 m2:00.802006Commonwealth GamesMelbourne, Australia 1st800 m1:57.88African ChampionshipsBambous, Mauritius 1st800 m2:00.64World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany 2nd800 m1:59.10IAAF World CupAthens, Greece 2nd800 m2:00.092007World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan 1st800 m1:56.04World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany 1st800 m1:57.872008Olympic GamesBeijing, China 2nd800 m1:56.07World Athletics FinalStuttgart, Germany 2nd800 m1:58.412009World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany 2nd800 m1:57.902011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea 2nd800 m1:57.422015World ChampionshipsBeijing, China26th (h)800 m2:01.40
Personal best 800 metres – 1:56.04 (2007) 1000 metres – 2:37.98 (2002) 1500 metres – 4:02.32 (2011) One Mile – 4:28.72 (2008)
References
Rosa & Associati profile
External links