Naomi Korir (R) with Mary Moraa at a previous National Championship/ ATHLETICS KENYA
After establishing herself as a consistent force in Kenya's middle-distance ranks over the past few years, Naomi Korir is determined to finally secure an individual global medal for the nation when she lines up in the women's One Mile at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth Games get underway on Thursday, with the athletics programme set to begin Monday next week.
The women's One Mile competition starts next Thursday (July 30), with the opening round expected to usher in a fiercely contested battle for places in the final.
Korir forms part of a formidable Kenyan trio alongside National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 1,500m champion Rosemary Longisa and Teresiah Gateri.
The 27-year-old has long been a familiar face on Kenya's middle-distance circuit but is yet to claim an individual medal for the country on either the continental or global stage. Despite that, she has enjoyed success in Kenya's relay ranks.
Korir was part of Kenya's women's 4x400m team that claimed silver at the 2022 African Senior Championships in St Pierre, Mauritius.
Together with Jarinter Mwasya, Veronica Kamumbe and Jane Wangari, the quartet clocked 3:35.55 to finish behind South Africa, who struck gold in 3:29.34. A year earlier in 2021, Korir also bagged silver as part of Kenya's 2x2x400m mixed relay team at the World Relays.
She joined forces with Ferguson Rotich to clock 3:41.79, finishing second behind Poland, who won gold in 3:40.92. However, Korir is now determined to finally earn an individual medal in Kenyan colours at the Commonwealth Games. "I am just hoping for the best in Glasgow," Korir said.
One of the biggest confidence boosters heading into the Games is finally landing the national title, an accolade she had pursued since 2019. "I have been working to secure the national title for a long time, since 2019, and it finally came. I am so happy about that," she added.
At the National Championships, which also served as the Commonwealth Games trials on June 20, Korir stormed to the women's 1,500m crown in 4:08.57. Gateri finished second in 4:09.60, while Longisa completed the podium in 4:10.01.
Traditionally an 800m specialist, Korir revealed that inspiration from her close friends Nelly Chepchirchir and world 5,000m and 10,000m record holder Beatrice Chebet played a key role in her decision to transition to the metric mile.
"I have friends who run the 1,500m like Nelly Chepchirchir. Also, Beatrice Chebet ran a 1,500m in 3:54, and that gave me motivation to also venture into the distance," she said.
On August 16, 2025, Chebet produced a lifetime best of 3:54.73 to finish second in the 1,500m at the Silesia Diamond League behind Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay, who won in 3:50.62.
Korir further revealed that relocating her training base to the Cherangani Hills has accelerated her transition to the longer middle-distance event. "I moved to train in the Cherangani Hills, and that changed my mindset about the middle-distance races. I started doing the 5,000m, and now I am adapting well to the 1,500m."
She also pointed out the distinct demands that separate the 1,500m from the 800m. "The 1,500m is about endurance and speed. I have the speed from the 800m, and I also have good endurance from cross country."
Korir opened her 2026 campaign at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country Tour on February 14, winning the women's 2km race in 6:42. She then launched her track season at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, finishing fourth in the women's 800m in 1:59.94.
Ethiopia's Nigist Getachew won the race in 1:58.79 ahead of Lilian Odira (1:59.15) and Habtam Gebeyehu (1:59.72).
Korir's impressive National Championships campaign saw her complete a middle-distance double on the podium, winning the 1,500m title before placing second in the 800m in 2:00.85 behind Odira, who clinched her third crown over the distance in 2:00.44.
