Tecla Chemabwai
One of Nandi County’s most celebrated athletes is Tecla Chemabwai. She is a fierce lady who gives meaning to the phrase ‘one is never too young to achieve your dreams’.
At 18, Tecla was already breaking barriers when she qualified for the Olympics as the youngest member of the track team! If she was overwhelmed by the pressure of competing alongside professionals, she did a good job at hiding it.
The 1968 Mexico Summer Olympics were remembered by Kenyans for one reason in particular, female athletes made their debut. There were three in number – Lydia Stephens-Oketch, Elizabeth Chesire and Tecla Chemabwai.
The competitiveness she faced in the heats prevented Tecla from making it to the semi-final round and if anything, this was a wakeup call. She returned home having seen what victory looks like but with no medal to secure a championship title, she came home determined to double down on her training.
Four years later, Tecla presented a wiser, more prepared version of herself when she once again qualified for the Games. She had undergone intense training and was ready to show her progress. Her efforts saw her improve to the semi-finals of the women’s 400 metres event – evidence of her tenacity.
In 1973 it was all about Pan Africanism. All roads led to Lagos for the second all Africa Games and Tecla was at the forefront of the female competitors Kenya had hopes in. It was another chance to prove herself in the 400 metres and that she did. Tecla was the first Kenyan woman to win a gold 
🥇 at the continental games when she swept to victory in her race. At the Edmonton Commonwealth Games 1978, our premier female track athlete competed in the 800 metres where she finished second 
🥈, adding another medal to her collection. The same year at the All Africa Games, she competed in the same track event in Algeria and once again came home with a gold 🥇!
Tecla Chemabwai was crowned our first female of athletics and rightfully so. We applaud her determination and consistency, she is truly a #KeFlagBearer
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