Kenya at the World Athletics Championships
Kenya has competed at every edition of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics since its inception in 1983. It has won the second highest number of gold medals at the championships (after the United States) and also has the second highest medals total (after the U.S.).
| Kenya at the World Championships in Athletics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| WA code | KEN |
| National federation | Athletics Kenya |
| Website | www |
| Medals Ranked 2nd |
|
| World Championships in Athletics appearances (overview) | |
The vast majority of its medals have come in middle- and long-distance running events, mostly on the men's side. It ranks fourth on all-time placing tables at the competition, reflecting its narrow event focus. The nation typically sends medium-sized delegations of 40–50 athletes. Kenya ranked number one on gold medals at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics and has finished in the top five nations on the medal table at all but five editions.
The country's most successful athlete at the competition is Ezekiel Kemboi, who has won four gold medals and three silver medals in the men's 3000 metres steeplechase. Kenya's most successful woman, Faith Kipyegon has won four gold medals and two silver medals in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres. Vivian Cheruiyot, has also won four gold medals and also a silver in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events. Men's steeplechaser Moses Kiptanui won three straight titles from 1991 to 1995 and Asbel Kiprop achieved the same feat in the 1500 metres from 2011 to 2015. Julius Yego is the country's only field event medallist, having won the men's javelin throw in 2015.
Former Kenyans have also had impacts for other nations at the championships, including 2007's double champion Bernard Lagat (United States), two-time steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) and marathon winner Rose Chelimo (Bahrain).
Medal table
| Championships | Men | Women | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank | Athletes | |
| 1983 Helsinki | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 1987 Rome | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | |
| 1991 Tokyo | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1993 Stuttgart | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 4 | |
| 1995 Gothenburg | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | |
| 1997 Athens | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | |
| 1999 Seville | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | |
| 2001 Edmonton | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2003 Paris | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |
| 2005 Helsinki | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | |
| 2007 Osaka | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2009 Berlin | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 43 |
| 2011 Daegu | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 47 |
| 2013 Moscow | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 49 |
| 2015 Beijing | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 52 |
| 2017 London | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 50 |
| 2019 Doha | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 42 |
| 2022 Eugene | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 44 |
| 2023 Budapest | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 52 |
| Total | 42 | 36 | 28 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 65 | 58 | 48 | 171 | 2 | |
Medalists
| Athlete | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel Kemboi | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2003–2015 |
| Faith Kipyegon | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2015–2023 |
| Vivian Cheruiyot | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2007–2015 |
| Moses Kiptanui | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1991–1997 |
| Asbel Kiprop | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2011–2015 |
| Conseslus Kipruto | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2013–2022 |
| Hellen Onsando Obiri | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2013–2022 |
| Catherine Ndereba | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2003–2007 |
| Edna Kiplagat | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2011–2017 |
| Billy Konchellah | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1987–1993 |
| Ismael Kirui | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1993–1995 |
| Abel Kirui | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2009–2011 |
| David Rudisha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2011–2015 |
| Janeth Jepkosgei | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2007–2011 |
| Milcah Cheywa | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2009–2013 |
| Brimin Kiprop Kipruto | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2005–2015 |
| Moses Tanui | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1991–1993 |
| Christopher Koskei | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1995–1999 |
| Wilson Boit Kipketer | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1997–1999 |
| Benjamin Limo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1999–2005 |
| Eliud Kipchoge | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2003–2007 |
| Alfred Kirwa Yego | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2007–2009 |
| Elijah Manangoi | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2015–2017 |
| Timothy Cheruiyot | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2015–2019 |
| Beatrice Chepkoech | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2019–2023 |
| Sally Barsosio | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1993–1997 |
| Linet Masai | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2009–2011 |
| Eunice Jepkoech Sum | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2013–2015 |
| Hyvin Jepkemoi | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2015–2017 |
| Mary Moraa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2022–2023 |
Doping
Compared to other successful nations, such as the United States and Russia, Kenya's athletes have been largely unaffected by doping failures at the competition. The nation's first failures at the championships occurred in 2015, neither of whom were finalists.
| Year | Athlete | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Francisca Koki | Women's 400 m hurdles | Heats only |
| 2015 | Joy Sakari | Women's 400 m | Semi-finalist |