Versatile Wambui to gun for gold over 800m

One of Kenya’s promising middle distance runners, Jackline Wambui, aptly fits the description ‘jack-of-all-trades’.

The 17-year-old Form Four student at Riruta Central Secondary School in Nairobi tried her hand in football and athletics while at Ichagaki Primary School in Maragua, Murang’a County, from where she joined Ichagaki Secondary School in 2014.

Besides representing both schools in 5,000m and 10,000m up to the regional championships, she also played football for the two schools, taking up roles as a mid-fielder and later a striker.

“I really didn’t go far with football since there was no one to guide me, it was all a personal initiative,” said Wambui.

 However, the ambitious Wambui would switch to Riruta Central Secondary School in Form Three in 2016, where she embraced the sprints and field events, which saw her compete in heptathlon at the nationals championships during Term One games. 

“I didn’t perform so well and coach Gregory Kilonzo advised me to try the sprints and some field events,” said Wambui, who competed in 200m, javelin and long jump. She only performed well in log jump where she claimed silver.

However, after getting to learn Wambui’s potential, Kilonzo would advise the youngster to take on middle distance races which brought her to 1,500 metres competition.

“I took up the 800 metres race to polish my speed but I ended up performing well,” said Wambui, who won the World Under-18 pre-trials in 2:07 last month before prevailing at the trials in 2:06 two weeks ago.

Wambui is determined to win gold and end  Kenya’s eight-year drought over the two-lap race at the World Youth event.

No Kenyan girl has ever finished on the podium in the last three editions in 2015 Cali, Colombia, 2013 Donetsk, Ukraine and 2011 Lille, France.

The last time a Kenyan won the 800m event was when Cherono Koech triumphed in 2008 in Brixen, Italy, before Kenya’s medal drought started.

“That is a long time ago and I hope to give my country something to smile about at home,” said Wambui, who will later shift her focus to Commonwealth Youth Games starting July 19-23 in Bahamas.

Wambui, who idolises schoolmate Cellphine Chespol, the World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase and World Under-18 2,000m steeplechase champion, also looks up to Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Hellen Obiri.

She hopes to shift to 1,500m race next year.

“My plan is to fully move to 1,500m, but I will use 800m for speed or even 1,500m for endurance,” said Wambui, who hails from Murang’a County.