Hellen Obiri

Hellen Onsando Obiri (born 13 December 1989) is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. She is the only woman to have won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country. Obiri is a two-time Olympic 5000 metres silver medallist from the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she also placed fourth over the 10,000 metres.

Hellen Obiri during the 2017 Golden Gala, Rome

Quotes

• I am so happy, it was the only medal I missed in my cabinet.
  • Evelyn Watta, Hellen Obiri makes history with World Cross-Country gold, olympics.com, 30 March 2019.

• I didn’t know I was going to win because the race was tough. I used my mind and decided to be patient...We had the Ethiopians in the races before and we saw they are strong on the hills. This was the last chance, I don’t think I’m going to go for another World Cross-Country.
  • Evelyn Watta, Hellen Obiri makes history with World Cross-Country gold, olympics.com, 30 March 2019.

• I’m satisfied with my second place finish, what matters most was to finish within 1-2 bracket. I will go back and work hard in training to ensure I do well in Tokyo. I’m really not bothered much with Ethiopians, as a team we will deliver good results.
  • ZK Goh, Olympic 1500m champ Faith Kipyegon targeting Tokyo 2020 gold after Kenyan trials win, Olympics, 17 June 2021.

• The race was good. I just wanted to seal top two...I have no pressure; I will be facing familiar opponents in Tokyo. I am used to fast-paced races and all I am going to do is continue with my training.
  • ZK Goh, Hellen Obiri targets distance double at Tokyo 2020 after winning women's 10000m at Kenyan trials, olympics.com, 19 June 2021.

• I have been running 10Ks and half marathons, so I have lost speed to defend my 5,000m title...I want to leave it to the younger athletes.
  • Jasmyne Tomas, Gidey holds off Kenyans to win gold – Oregon22 World Athletics Championships, Athletics Africa, July 17, 2022.

• I tried to be patient and wait for the right time to happen...Today was my time.
  • Kyle Hightower, "Kenya's Obiri breaks late to win women's Boston Marathon", News4JAX, April 17, 2023.

• In the middle of the race I had to be patient and had to wait for the right time. I knew I trained well, and today I can say it was my time...Moving from track to the road racing was a big challenge for me. In track there was not a lot of mileage.
  • Ockert de Villiers, Evans Chebet upsets Eliud Kipchoge to win back-to-back Boston Marathon titles" in olympics.com, 17 April 2023.

• In a marathon, anything can happen.
  • Jimmy Golen, Kipchoge says leg injury foiled Boston Marathon attempt, ClickOrlando, April 18, 2023.

• With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and my move to the U.S., I’m coming to New York this year (2023) with more confidence and in search of a title...I’m excited to show the people of New York what I’m capable of and that my win at the United Airlines NYC Half in March was just the beginning.
  • Doug Feinberg, "Defending champion Sharon Lokedi leads loaded New York City Marathon women's field", ClickOnDetroit, August 9, 2023.

• It is all about focus. The training for 1500m and 5000m is different, you do more because the distance is longer, you basically change everything in training.
  • Michelle Katami, "Hellen Obiri hopes for a 2017 grand finish – London 2017", Athletics Africa, August 13, 2017.

"Hellen Obiri on how patience helped her win the Boston Marathon and the inspiration she takes from Eliud Kipchoge" (2023)

Sean McAlister, "Hellen Obiri on how patience helped her win the Boston Marathon and the inspiration she takes from Eliud Kipchoge", olympics.com, 08 May 2023.

• What came to my mind in New York was to finish the race so I can learn how to do my next marathon...So it helped me a lot to learn about patience. In New York I didn’t know about patience, I ran it like it was a track race.

• I said in my mind let me try to be patient. When were at about 25k, I said ‘patient’. And when I reached 42km, I said, ‘no, I want to win this race.’ And I said, ‘can I just use track speed to go?

• You know, now you are saying you are not alone...There’s someone who depends on me. My daughter needs to go to school, needs to have a good background, a good life. So you have to work hard because someone is looking up to you.

• It’s encouraged me a lot to work hard because it’s a new life, it’s a new environment...I said, let me try to win because I asked you [to come] here. No excuses, I must perform. So I think they encouraged me a lot to train and to focus well.

• I do hope that next year (2024) is going to be good for me because I’ve done a lot and I’ve won the silver medal...So I want to upgrade it to gold.

• You can’t be like Eliud if you want to sit down and you say, ‘I want to be like Eliud Kipchoge’. Eliud Kipchoge does not sit down and wait to go and win races!