Athlete rose from the slopes of Mt Kenya to world prominence

Margaret Nyairera took up sports for leisure, competing in 200m and 400m races while at Endarasha Primary School in Nyeri County.

It is at the 2011 Junior Nationals that she discovered that she had athletics potential and talent as she finished fourth in the two races.

“As a House (Nyati) leader, I was told to pick on any sport but opted for easy events like javelin and shot-put throw. However, my teacher - a Mr Karagu - told me to also give track events a try, so I settled on sprints and heptathlon,” said Nyairera. “I ended up representing my school even though I didn’t qualify for the East Africa Games.”

She would join Endarasha Day Secondary School in 2012, after sitting her KCPE exams the year before where she caught the eyes of scouts from Tetu High School during the County Term One Games.

“They promised to pay for my school fees and since my mother didn’t have the capacity, I jumped at the chance to join Tetu. The school also took sports seriously,” said Nyairera, who was also drafted into volleyball and netball.

While in Form Two, Nyairera slowly graduated to the 800m following advice from her teacher Nicholas Mureithi. She took it like a fish to water and in no time, she had powered her way to the Nationals and East Africa Secondary Schools Games where she won 800 gold.

“800m is the last event in heptathlon where I ran well and Mureithi told me to consider the switch. My role model Janeth Jepkosgei flushed through my mind and I made the switch pretty fast,” says Nyairera.

In Form Three, Nyairera featured for her school in both athletics and volleyball at the nationals.

Her school finished fourth in volleyball and she defended the 800m on her way to retaining her regional title as well.

She would feature at the 2014 World Junior Championships trials where she finished second behind Maximilla Imali.

While Nyairera went on to win the world title in Eugene, USA, favourite Imali suffered a hamstring during the final.

Nyairera, who enjoys eating beef and chicken stew with chapati, secured her first management contract with Juan Pedro Pineda De La Rosa from Spain during the World Junior trials.

Nyairera credits her mother Hannah Wambui’s sacrifices, encouragement and unceasing support for a large part of her track success. She also has praise for her siblings Stephen Njuguna, 20, Martin Ng’ang’a, 17, and Douglas Mwangi, 15, who she hopes to set a good example for to ape.

“My mum has really struggled to raise us a single parent and I am indebted to her,” said Nyairera. “My mum has been my pillar in sports unlike other parents who can’t allow their kids to pursue sports.”

Nyairera says her mum encouraged her to pursue sports if she felt strongly that her passion lay there but also insisted that she focus on her education.