Olympic Games 3,000m steeplechase silver medalist Hyvin Jepkemoi Kiyeng is considering competing in road races in near future following a stellar career on the track.
Kiyeng has dominated the water and barrier race since making her breakthrough in 2011.
The National Police Service runner rose to international stardom with an All-Africa Games title in Maputo in 2011 and added an African Championships bronze medal a year later.
At the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China, Kiyeng clinched the 3,000m steeplechase and added a bronze at the 2017 edition in London.
In between, she struck a silver medal at the Rio Games.
In addition, Kiyeng competed at the 2013 World Championships in Russia where she finished sixth, the 2019 edition in Doha, Qatar in 2019 (eighth), the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda (fourth) and the 2011 All Africa Games (fourth in the 5,000m race).
Going forward, Kiyeng said she will be consulting with her coach and management — Global Sports Communication — on how she will transition, after the Olympic Games.
In the meantime, Kiyeng said her focus is on the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games, where she wants to upgrade the silver medal from Rio four years ago.
“We still have the Olympic Games as well as the World Championships. This means I may not fully focus on transitioning since I feel I still have something to offer on track," said Kiyeng.
"However, my dream remains to run on the roads in the near future after running on the track for a decade or so. I see myself starting my progression with 10k and gradually head into marathon running."
“We have to give way for young athletes on the track. The field may be congested and going to the roads will be great,” she said.
Kiyeng said she grew up watching Isabella Ochichi and Tecla Loroupe, renown top female athletes with numerous accolades to boot.
She feels the 2013 World Championships in Russia was the turning point in her career despite failing to medal in the Russian capital. She had just graduated from Kiganjo Police Training College and therefore had not trained adequately for the event.
“After Moscow, I focused on my training and in 2015, I went to the World Championships in Beijing, winning my first global medal," she said.
