Winfred Yavi explains why she runs for Bahrain instead of Kenya
Kenyan athlete Yavi, who won the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Zurich Diamond League in September 2023, spoke about her victory and career journey.
She set a new Olympic record of 8:52.76 seconds and shared her experience with Bahrain.
“I used to go to the Kenya team trials, and I didn’t qualify… It was my first priority; I was ready to represent my country,” Yavi told Mungai Eve.
“The competition was stiff. You know that in Kenya we have a lot of athletes, and to get that chance, you should at least enter the Kenyan team. You can get into the Kenyan team, but you find that they take only two people; if you are number two or number four, you miss out. I was totally ready, but I never got a chance.”
The 3000m steeplechase champion revealed that in 2016, she emerged number three in the trials for a youth competition, but only the first two athletes were selected to go and represent Kenya.
“I had done a lot of training; I had worked hard; that’s how I came and got the chance (to go to Bahrain), and I went,” she said.
Yavi also revealed that she was connected by a Kenyan in the sports sector to go and represent Bahrain.
“My parents also agreed, and the coach also agreed and took me there,” she said.
The 24-year-old athlete confirmed that, apart from representing Bahrain in athletics, she also has a nationality for the Asian country.
She, however, noted that the decision to change nationality brought a lot of negativity, especially from friends.
“It brought a lot of negativity. I was being asked how sure I was that I would go and run well. It was complicated. Everyone was coming up with different things to tell me,” she said.
“Others said I should not go there; I would get hurt. My parents came, and we talked. We sat down with the coach and other people. We came up with one decision, and we agreed,” she said.
She disclosed that she does not have any regrets because she has been able to accomplish a lot after making that decision.
“No…I don’t regret it. I have been working hard and praying hard and I have seen that there is a very good opportunity there,” Yavi said.
